A World Torn: The Triad
by THFanfiction
Summary: The world of Ransei is a land of bloodshed in the name of glory where Kings and Warlords battle for absolute dominion. Street urchin Hiro, is a young, spry warrior, accompanied by a rare Pokemon. Stealing to survive, he crosses paths with someone who will change his world forever. Warning: This world is no holds barred, death, violence, sex non-explicit, and madness.
1. The Boy with Courage

**Welcome to my Pokemon Conquest Fanfic, A World Torn. The Pokemon in this world vary in size, or may appear as shiny or special in some way to add to the dramatic effect of their appearances. The main character is the same one depicted in the game, but has been named Hiro. Feedback is always heard and appreciated, I will update with a new chapter, every thursday so stay tuned. This is my first fanfiction piece, I put all I have into anything I write for an audience, even if there is no profit in it. Enjoy.**

**Book one: The Triad**

_by: The Hack_

_Intro: The World of Ransei_

Are we born for destiny or is it something we carve away with our own sword? Is a beginning only a memory or is it the only end we've ever known? Does an end mark a final destiny or is it only the beginning of another? Who knows? The one consistency is that destiny can't be fulfilled alone. What matters aren't the opponents we defeat, but the allies we make.

Those allies are Pokemon. They are the creatures kind enough to share the world with us humans. Some are smaller than newborn infants, others are the size of villages, but either have the strength to brush humans aside. Pokemon can snort embers, grow forests, or even sway the tides.

Still we carry on. Warriors have tamed these forces of nature. Together they shape the world. They share links that are so strong, it is said that one's true-self is not inside their soul, but embodied in the Pokemon they tame.

**Chapter 1**

**The Boy with Courage**

Hiro's stomach yearned for the waft of fresh dumplings. He pulled his ragged blanket up over his nose, trying to keep his comfy spot on the street stones. He clinched his eyelids, fighting the daylight. A jagged stone fingered its way between his ribs. He rolled over.

Kami growled, furiously wrestling out from under him. He pulled free, barking, "Heev! Vee!"

Hiro groaned, "I'm not ready yet, Kami. I'm having a...good dream." He pushed the small oaken-furred Pokemon away. Kami wasn't having it, he snapped at Hiro's hand with no qualm. "Ow! Damn Eevee," he said, his eyes flipping open to check his bitten finger. He scowled at Kami, whose beady black eyes scowled right back.

"Heev!" Kami warned, slanting his erect ears backward.

"What's gotten into you this morning," Hiro asked, pulling himself up on the barrel he'd slept behind. He put two hands on his back and arched, "Not sleeping here again, these stones are no good. You were right, the forest is better," Hiro garbled through a yawn. He tried to straighten the sleep out of the auburn thatch on his head, then bent to ruffle the tuft of fur on Kami's head as the Pokemon warmed his fur.

Kami advanced further into the sunlight. The bustle of the market street filled the alley with conversation and the smell of seasoned dumplings and sausages. "Egg noodles!" A merchant gave a full-throated roar. "Rice-by-the-pound!" squealed another.

"Heh it's a wonder we slept here at all," Hiro thought aloud. His stomach started splashing around, quivering for food, anything. Kami, just within the alley, stood gorging himself on the fumes. "You're hungry too."

Hiro squatted down, pulled away the grey blanket, with some disgust for his own sweat stains. He poked at a stolen rice bag that had died of hunger yesterday. He keeled back and sprawled out at the sight of it, closing his eyes, trying to go back to his dreams.

A banquet, Aurora's finest market food was spread across a long table when Kami's prickly tongue roused him. Kami was staring down at him worriedly, folding his ears.

"Aw Kami," Hiro said, grabbing the fur ball and hugging him. "You know I don't like to do things that way, right? You know I wish we didn't have to steal."

"Vee!" Kami chirped.

"That sounded hungry, not reassuring," Hiro sighed. He let the Eevee scamper back toward the end of the alley, stood up, then dusted himself off. "I guess we don't have a choice. Okay," he crept up on Kami so he could get a better look at the street.

He receded as a cart rumbled past. Pressed against the wall, he sighed. He couldn't tell whether the smell of cooked food came from the cart or fat Yukinaga who always cooked or ate. Yukinaga waddled behind the cart belching out "Dumplings! Aurora's finest! Best price! Yukinaga's Dumplings." His chubby, pink, bipedal Pokemon in tow.

Audinos where bigger than Eevees, but weren't good for much other than helping...things. Kami could eat for days if he suddenly got a taste for Audino meat.  
The Pokemon's broad curtain-like ears swayed to and fro in time with Yukinaga's greasy ponytail. Audino stopped walking and turned toward the alley. This isn't the first time Hiro had stolen Aurora's finest dumplings. Certainly not. He was a regular. If that pokemon caught them, they could bid breakfast adieu.

"That was close," Hiro said pressing against the wall. Kami poked his head around the corner first. Hiro surveyed the packed streets. A child screamed and hurled volleys of bright red apples at her mother. A few older men loomed over a sausage stand, browbeating the smiling merchant for better prices. The egg noodles were early, and Hiro was certain that merchant would shout himself hoarse before selling even one bowl. People stood in an overcrowded flock, pondering, searching, and apparently doing nothing at all.

The smell almost pulled him from the alley by his nostrils, but he shook it off. "There are too many people here, Kami. I can't tell if there are guards. We can't let old Hawk Eye catch us, or it'll be the noose for sure," Hiro explained, drawing a thumb across his neck.

A thrumming blast from down the road and cheers crackled through the air. Drums beat like a heart and voices rose up in song. The shoppers hastily wrapped up their dealings and hustled toward the ruckus in a market stampede. "Princess Oichi's birthday!" the apple girl cried out, escaping the clutch of her mother. The merchants closed up their wares and wheeled after the money herd.

Hiro had yet felt such bitterness. "What makes her so special?" he asked Kami, looking at the strewn apples being kicked about. Just such an apple came spinning his way. Bright red, but with a fierce bruise from a passing boot. He reached out for it. Hell, he would eat anything right about now. _Some people are born with everything. Some people are born with just some things. Then there's me, I've got Kami and this apple._ Another loud cheer sounded from down the road. _What is there a parade for her birthday?_ he thought.

Kami watched him draw the apple up to his face. _No! No rotten, bruised apples!_ He hurled the apple back into the crowd and looked for his dumplings.  
Thankfully, Yukinaga was not just fat; his chaffing gait made it impossible for him to catch up. It didn't take long for the crowd to outpace him. Hiro felt bolder now. There weren't many Pokemon with the crowd, and none too threatening besides. Certainly not like those of Aurora guards. Only born warriors could tame Pokemon, and only a select few where any good at it.

A group of kids Hiro's age passed, "C'mon! It's Lady Oichi's birthday," one blonde girl called to her friends. Hiro trotted into the crowd with Kami padding at his heels. Eevees were pretty rare, so Kami kept away from people's legs. They came up on Yukinaga and fell back to regroup until there was a clear gap between them and Aurora's finest dumplings.

"Now!" Hiro barked. Kami darted forward and slammed the Audino into the cart. Yukinaga's dumplings spilled over. He threw his hands into the air and let out a strange gaggle. Hiro sprinted forward around the other side of their victim, scooping up as many dumplings as he could carry.  
"You!" Yukinaga bellowed. "Cora, get him!" he shouted to his Pokemon.

Kami swept around Yukinaga's cankles and the Audino accidentally pounded its warrior in the lower leg. "Ho! Someone He—elp!' he yelled as he collapsed, pinning the Audino. Hiro charged into the crowd, bouncing off people, leaping over children. Kami hopped onto his back and hooked his paws over Hiro's shoulders.

"Thief!" He heard from behind. "Him there! Yes, the brown hair, the Eevee!"

Hiro glanced at Yukinaga being helped to his feet by azure-kabuto-clad guards. "Stop him!" one of them pointed.

There are only three. We can shake them, Hiro thought, scooping a piping dumpling into his mouth. Either Yukinaga's recipe was getting better or he was getting hungrier. Kami leaned over his shoulder to follow suit.

Some men in the crowd made it their business to stop him. Hiro was thrown sideways, but kept his balance. His dumplings littered the ground. The crowd trampled them in the commotion. Hiro cut away down another empty alley, leaving the frightened townsfolk behind."  
"You there!"

Hiro turned to face a middle-aged man brandishing a katana, masked in the Aurora-blue helmet with vicious slants for eyes.

"You are under arrest by order of the King's Law. Tell your Pokemon to stand down," the muffled voice ordered.

"Rel!" barked his Pokemon. Bibarels were the same basic shape and size of Audinos, but they had log snapping teeth and a paddle-like tail. Kami jumped off Hiro's back, puffed himself up.

Hiro raised his fists, if we can knock this guy out, maybe the rest wont find us, he thought. Kami must have been thinking the same, because he charged the Bibarel crossing the guard who was charging Hiro. A mail-clad fist rushed at Hiro's face, but he rolled onto his back, kicked the guard's leg out and tossed the twice-large man over with his other foot.

Hiro knew he was smaller, weaker, hell, not even a very good a fighter, but surprise is what really counted in a fight. The guard careened through the air, cracking open a water barrel with his head.

Kami butted into the chest of the other Pokemon. Bibarels weren't as prone to topple as Audinos though. It swung back with its sharp front teeth. Kami jumped away then pounced, slamming the Bibarel's face into the ground. The Bibarel shook wildly until Kami was thrown against a wall. Kami caught himself and sprang back. With a full-force hit to the face, the bigger Pokemon went dow.

"C'mon!" Hiro called, running past the busted barrel spilling over the unconscious guard. Kami bounded after him.

"This way, he's this way!'" Came the voice of another guard.

"Damn!" Hiro cursed without looking back.

They were coming up on an alley to the main road, where all those people where headed. If I can just make it a little further I can lose them.  
A big white feline Pokemon lunged from the alley with its dagger-length claws. He barely had time to spin out of the way but his exit to the main road was cut off. Persians were even bigger than Bibarels and known for their agility and cruel temperament. Before Hiro could think, Kami was already bowling into the Persian. The two grappled into another barrel, tearing it to shreds.

The Persian's yowls were horrible, like a horn drawing in the other guards. It pinned Kami against the wall with one claw and the other rose to swipe.  
Hiro snatched a plank from the broken barrel and swung for the Persian's head. The plank snapped against the feline's muscular neck. Kami wriggled from its clutches.

"Run!" Hiro called out. They were but a few paces ahead of that monster. Hiro didn't even want to think about where its warrior could be stalking. They came up on a dead end. Why did I come down this way? I knew this was here! He thought frantically.

He pondered the white staircase leading to the top of the building to his left. "Puruuursaaa!"

"I've got him, at the end of the alley!" The Persian rushed him with a whole rabble of guards and Pokemon following. Hiro started the three-story climb. The Persian lept from the ground all the way up to the second story to cut him off.

"Kami!" Hiro cried.

The fearless brown fur ball struck the Persian in midair, sending it back toward the street stones. "Up there! Fire!"

Bowstrings twanged. Arrows thumped into the wall, missing by meager hair lengths. He looked down to see the Persian bounding upward again. A brown squadron of Bibarels and Bidoofs started up the stairs as well.

Head spinning with hunger, he made it to the top, sprinted to the edge of the building, and stopped on his heels. Nothing but heads lay beneath to break his fall, yet still he thought jumping may be preferable. That would put a real damper on Lady Oichi's birthday.

The heartbeat of the drums blasted in his ears now. Below was a glorious parade. Dozens of blue clad soldiers marched abreast, waving azure banners in harmony, emblazoned with Aurora's silver sun. The dancing women behind the soldiers twirled round until their dresses became silver and blue orbs; pink cherry-blossom petals peppered the Emperor and Queen as they rode through on a shimmering platform carried by four onyx-furred Snorlax, dwarfing every other Pokemon or human in the crowd several times over. The band was stomping through next, horns blasting and drums exploding like fireworks. Finally, Lady Oichi, passing just under him. Daughter of King Ordan and Queen Ary, the beauty known as Aurora's Cherry blossom poised on her Snorlax platform. Cream skinned, with burgundy locks elegantly arranged atop her head, her blue dress decorated with caricatures of Aurora's famous Pokemon whose likenesses marched behind her for blocks. Hiro could scantly see the end of the parade, he was sure Pokemon were still leaving Aurora's palace gates in the distance. Despite her elegant entrance she waved rather boyishly to the chanting onlookers. With certainty, Hiro believed this was her 18th birthday. She was his age.

A broad shadow swept past his feet. Hawk-eye! Hiro panicked. He shuddered. The sky was clear and blue. No, that bird's like a thunderhead, it couldn't hide on a day like this.

A sharp noise drew his attention backward, "SIANNN!" The Persian's shoulders swayed as it stalked toward him. The Bibarels and smaller four-legged Bidoofs clamored to the rooftop as well. The sounds of the guards' clacking boots weren't far behind.

Hiro backed all the way to the edge, they already fired arrows, they aren't going to show mercy now, he thought, swallowing hard. Kami jumped on his back and latched onto his ear.

"Ahh…ow…ow!" Hiro complained. Kami pulled his head toward a rope tied from this building to the next to support round pink lanterns. The Persian advanced, clawing away. Hiro leaned back and stumbled off the building.

"Now what?" He called to Kami, dangling helplessly over the parade. He managed to reach his other hand up to the rope, sending a lantern smashing to the street below.

"By Arceus! Look up there!" yelled a husky brunette merchant. Everyone, even the band gaped wide-eyed, giving an ominous group gasp. The Persian scrambled over the ledge and swiped again. Hiro let go the rope with one of his hands. He felt his other grip slip away and he let out a scream.  
The Persian had slashed the rope as well. Hiro caught it, just as the street stones were coming up on him. He hugged the rope for dear life, praying it would be long enough. His stomach lurched then dipped. He opened his eyes to meet Lady Oichi's horrified stare.

He crashed into her and in a mass of arms and legs, the two went swinging over the crowd. They collided with something soft and warm.  
Their flight had knocked over a Snorlax. Hiro lay atop of it's mountainous girth clutching something. In fact, something was clutching him too. He looked down at Lady Oichi's reddish locks pressed into his shoulder. He immediately released her, but she held tight.

Before he could say sorry, a thundering clap broke the commotion. Lady Oichi's platform bursts into bright crackling flame. The Snorlax dropped their load and sauntered away from the orange-blue blaze. Women and children screamed, the crowd pushed and shoved, dispersing in mass panic. Guards barked orders to their Pokemon. Hiro grasped Lady Oichi again, rolled off the Snorlax and Kami whom he just noticed growling in his ear.  
"Where are you taking me!?" Oichi shouted, resisting Hiro's hold on her wrist.

That's a good question, he thought. "I dunno, home," he answered without looking back at her. They scrambled away, deep into another alley before Oichi finally broke free.

"What's the matter with you? That's no way to treat a Princess!" She lectured. Hiro stared blankly. "You'd better let me leave, the guards will have your head!" She turned to stomp away.

"Wait!" Hiro shouted after her, without thinking what he'd say. "I need your help!"

"My help?" Oichi turned on her heels.

"Listen, I have to get away from the guards," he pleaded.

She stared into him with her emerald eyes. She scowled, but all Hiro could see were those eyes. "You almost killed me, then you tried to kidnap me, I think the guards will give you what you deserve," she yelled, thrusting a finger into his chest. Hiro never felt so small in his life. Moments ago he was facing off against a guard three times his size with no weapon, no problem. He would rather take on Hawk-Eye than confess to Princess Oichi. He looked down at the finger, then at her again.

"I'm sorry," he said probably too low for her to hear.

"What-what was that?" Lady Oichi asked sternly. Kami nipped at Hiro's boot to get him to run with him, but he ignored it.

"I-I stole dumplings this morning. I was very hungry. I know that doesn't make it right, I'm sorry. You're right, the guards will give me what I deserve," he couldn't help himself, the words just came out. "Besides," he said kicking at the dirt, "even if I do escape the guards, I have no money and no home, I'll probably die anyway."

"Hugh?" Oichi gasped, staring wide-eyed at him. It wasn't a look of compassion or hatred, is she afraid of me? He asked himself.

"What is it? Something I said?" he asked.

"Look!" she spun him around.

There was a man in a broad straw hat and an azure guard's cloak watching them from the darker end of the alley. Hiro noted the hand axe in his hand. "Blasted kid!" the man grunts through clenched teeth.

"TEP!" snorted a red and black Eevee-sized Pokemon. The pattern on the Pokemon's head looked like a black bandana and hot flames crackled at its hog-snout. Tepigs weren't like the Pokemon of Aurora. They breathed fire. Hiro could say with confidence this was the cause of Oichi's exploding platform.

They turned to run, but another man dawning a red cloak barred their path. He was a bald, muscular no-necked fellow with a Pokemon standing waist high at his side, a Pignite. Tepig's older brother, bigger, badder and hotter, same roundness but on two stumpy legs.

Oichi cowered behind Hiro. "You don't know these two?" He asked.

"No! I think they're from Ignis. Please, use your Pokemon to get us out of here," she asked.

"Ember!" shouted the first man. Hot flame shot form the mouth of the Tepig at Hiro's face. Kami lept through the air. The blast sent Kami sprawling across the stones.

"Are you okay, Kami?" the Eevee rolled back to his feet.

"Heev!"

"You take the little one then," Hiro ordered. Kami bolted at the Tepig. Before its warrior could get another order out, Kami was already beating it around the alley. Hiro raised his fists and locks eyes with the Pignite.

"Hahaha," laughed the red-cloaked warrior. "You can't be serious, you're not going to fistfight Coals."

Hiro charged the Pignite. At first glance, the Pokemon was much shorter than Hiro, this could almost be a fair fight, he thought. Searing pain surged through Hiro's arm as Coals swatted away his punch. It turned, and kicked him with its stubby leg, sending Hiro tumbling back over the street stones. His chest felt sunburned; sweat broke out over his body. The hit took all the breath out of him.

Kami squealed back at him and took another ember for it. "Heh, there wasn't even any heat in those strikes, boy. See Naomasa, you were worried about nothing, Lady Oichi's not even well guarded."

"Easy for you to say!" Naomasa yelled back. Kami must be winning, at least he'll get away, Hiro thought.  
"Coals!" commanded the bald man. The Pignite advanced. Hiro could barely breathe but pushed to his feet. His chest was aflame and his arm refused to move.  
"Stop it!" Oichi screamed.

Hiro raised his other fist and grinned. "C'mon, it didn't hurt that bad, let's see what you've got."

"Kill them this time Coals!" Fire struck around the Pignite's fist. It advanced, looking like it would cook them both. Hiro closed his eyes. There was a crash, a cool wind and then nothing.

"What the hell was that?" Shouted Coal's warrior. The Pignite had vanished.

"Up there!" shouted Naomasa. Kami tackled the Tepig again. Hiro glanced upward as Pignite plummeted out of the sky like a full sack of rice.

"Brave!" A deep voice filled the alley. A huge bird Pokemon slammed down onto the street stones. The alley was barely big enough to fit the creature. Hiro recognized the Braviary as Hawk-Eye's Pokemon. The Ignis men shriveled at its piercing cry.******  
**

Coals lay motionless beneath Brave's talons. Hiro just now noticed the rider. Brave flashed its sapphire feathers and let old Hawk-Eye dismount. He tore away a pair of goggles, showing off his cracked-sapphire eyes. He crossed his black suited arms impatiently. His gray mane seemed to flutter around his wind beaten face, even though there was no wind. Hiro once heard another guard say that old Hawk-Eye could make wind at will.

"Lady Oichi, are you harmed," Hawk-Eye asked. His voice seemed to rain down from the sky like Brave's victims. He looked away from Oichi but at no one in particular. "You are all under arrest in the name of Emperor Ordan's Law!"

"Coals! Use Heat Crash!" shouted the Ignis warrior. Coals' body ignited in blue flame, and the Pignite tried to force itself free from Brave's grasp.

Hawk-eye shot his Pokemon a look from the corner of his eye. Brave responded by lifting Coal in his talons and smashing him against the wall. Stone crumbles tumbled downward from the impact. Coals snuffed out, limp as an egg noodle.

Hiro's vision went hazy. The fire in his chest grew even hotter, he felt like bursting into flame himself. He started hacking. Boiling blood spattered the street stones, hissing and steaming. He collapsed. All without breakfast.


	2. The Cherry Blossom of Aurora

**Chapter 2**

**The Cherry Blossom of Ransei**

Oichi prodded her stew until a venomous rainbow filmed over it. Her friends were sent away and she'd been forced to squirm under the protective gaze of her mother for the rest of the day. The queen sat at the other end of the long table. A hardened, aging woman with graying hair of oak pulled taught in a bun. She gave a tight-lipped smile and caught the flicker of the torches in her brown eyes as she looked at Oichi. "The Ignis men can't hurt you anymore dear," she said, over the crackling hearth.

The Emperor sat next to her, robed in indigo wool. The crown and his pulled-cotton eyebrows veiled his face as he sipped. He was a good many years older than the queen, Oichi had only known an old father.

He was in such poor health even the slightest chill made a fierce foe. The last time he fell ill, Oichi feared she would lose him for good.

This evening was to be filled with laughter, performances, and happiness. Instead, the three of them supped only with Choan, the royal ambassador; and the twenty azure guards standing watch around the edges of the room. Even wild Munchlax had more manners than Choan, and the adult Snorlax's could look upon his girth with envy. He was clad in green, but one would never know it beneath the grease staining his shirt as he tore apart his meat.

Her stare fell back on the stew. She wondered how the food was in the dungeon. Her mind hung on the urchin's words, 'I was very hungry...I know that doesn't make it right...I have no money and no home'. She'd never known what hunger felt like. It made her sick just to think about it.

"I am certain you are aware, we are past negotiations with Ignis," Choan said, suckling his fingers. The queen turned her eyes back on him, drawing in a polite spoonful.

"Will we go to war then?" she asked.

"Mmm, hmm, no need, I think," Choan chewed. "Not Aurora anyhow."

"What do you mean?"

The Emperor shared a whisper with the queen.

"What!? That's ridiculous, we have no allies this far south. King Aqui of Fontaine has been usurped, and Greenleaf has love for nothing but the trees they so fondly embrace," the queen pointed out. "We should send for Violight, we can crush Ignis between our might," the queen pounded the table.

The Emperor whispered again.

"Absurd, Ordan! We cannot let this outrage stand! I say we hang the men on the morrow, send for aid, and mobilize immediately."

"Her Majesty is a brilliant tactician," Choan offered, picking another piece of meat from the platter in front of him. "If I may, my sources tell me Ignis has risen quite a force. Over 100,000 warriors. It would be a gambit at best to attempt to fight rather than reason."

"100,000!" The queen asked. "Even if we reasoned with this new regent of Fontaine and Greenleaf, they are hardly a match for that many," she scoffed.

"Ah, again, Her Majesty is all too observant," his lips twisted into something like a smile. "Lord Pyre, ruler of Ignis has fallen dreadfully ill. On his deathbed I hear. I do not have any spies close enough to tell, but I believe the fire lord will not live out the year."

"A year? Do you expect us to lock our daughter away until Lord Pyre is in the ground? This assassination failed, the next step is smoking our crops and starving our city to death. I see them now, coming over the hills in a swath of hell-" she said.

"Mother," Oichi interrupted. The queen locked eyes with her. Confronting mother properly was key to getting what she wanted. "I do not care what happens to the Ignis men, but might we release the...boy?"

Ary looked at her husband, small good that did. Whether or not he heard the request, he was perfectly content with his food. "Ordan, our dear daughter has suffered so much anguish this day. What did that urchin do to you? Did he touch you-"

"Mother!" Oichi blurted. "He saved my life."

The queen scoffed, perhaps even began a laugh but retired it when she looked back at her. "Ser Naoshige saved your life," she corrected.

"Father," Oichi turned on the emperor, keeping her voice clear and easy.

"Young lady!" her mother barked. "That is enough."

"Yes, I agree, they will burn the crops first," Choan concurred hesitantly, shifting gaze from her back to the queen. "But allow to me to put the Queen's heart at ease," he sank back in his chair, ringing his slimy hands. "We have to ally ourselves with Fontaine and Greenleaf to threaten Ignis. Create a ceasefire long enough to end Pyre's reign. That will leave Prince Hideyoshi to the throne. The boy is green. Without its head, Ignis will be unable to defend itself, or properly attack. We then march a small, but elite squad who either force peaceful negotiation or slay the young lord in battle if he chooses. Greenleaf are a simple people, they want peace from war, freedom of hunger. Scare them into obedience with threats from Ignis, or pay them, it does not matter. As for Fontaine, this usurper is young and agreeable, so his people say. We stayed out of his rebellion and spoke nothing of his ascension. He has no reason to hate us. Marry your daughter to him," he suggested, poking more meat into his mouth.

Oichi's anger flared. She must have been showing it because her mother was eyeing her now. "May I be excused," she said.

The Emperor shared another whisper with his wife.

"Ordan, no, that's ridiculous. For Arceus sake! She is frightened."

The Emperor gave a flip of his hand, a sneer and a grunt.

"-Ugh!" The queen sighed. "Your father wishes to know what vex's you."

"I don't wish to speak on it," Oichi replied. "May I be excused?"

"Young lady, you may not. You haven't even touched your stew, your favorite, for your birthday."

The Emperor whispered again.

"-Ugh," the queen sighed.

The Emperor gave another practiced flip-sneer-grunt.

"Fine! His Majesty dismisses you. Tsunehisa! Please escort the Princess to her bedchamber."

Tsunehisa stepped forward into the torchlight. He had been in service of Aurora's royal family for longer than anyone hoped to remember. He had served two Emperors before her father, and was fifteen years his senior, but wore his age far better. Hair, like silk, fell down to the center of his back, and a long twisty beard to his chest. His eyes strained to set on her.

"I can see myself to bed, mother."

"No more! Do not force me to punish you on this day," the queen threatened.

Oichi looked to her father, but three waves in one dinner was pressing even his luck.

"As my queen commands," Tsunehisa bowed.

Oichi turned, Tsunehisa scrambled to open the door for her, but she was already stalking through it. The very nerve that man has, talking about me like some...thing! As if I weren't even there. My mother and father should behead him for even entertaining such an idea.

Walking from the cold deadness of the royal dining hall into the knight's banquet hall was to wake to noon daylight. She couldn't stay angry.

The warriors were in high spirits, shouting tales of triumph and draining more than their share of wine. They sat in rows at long roughshod tables and on log benches, groping at succulent fare. Tsunehisa led her through the muddle.

Hawk-eye was billowing out with his companions at the center table. Oichi found him handsome in his black flight suit. "To the princess!" He hollered when she drew near, garnering attention from the neighboring tables. He raised his glass. His cheeks had grown plump and red from the wine.

Oichi bowed, "Today I am grateful, commander."

"To Tsunehisa then!" He shouted without hesitation. "Who saw the extinction of Aerodactyls." The men roared with laughter.

"Not all that young yourself," Tsunehisa muttered. Slowly they all droned into song about the Great Warrior of Ransei. It was a fast and happy tune. Hawk-eye rose off his bench, throwing an arm around Oichi. Before she had the choice, she was being swept into one of his strange jigs. The men clapped and hooted. Naoshige was a foreigner, a fact Oichi found most exciting about him. He had come to Aurora only a year past, and his talents had already won him love of the other knights and position as a commander.

Tsunehisa wedged them apart in an instant. He pressed a hand on Hawk-eye's chest. The voices died. "His Majesty the Emperor has bid the lady goodnight," he said. "Come Princess, to your bedchambers."

"Fine then, I shall escort the Princess to her bed," Hawk-eye said, grabbing for her wrist. Tsunehisa swatted him away.

"Me thinks the wine makes you forsake your age, Naoshige," Tsunehisa remarked.

"Me thinks your age makes you forsake your cock," Hawk-eye shot back. The men started to laugh again. Oichi couldn't help but snicker as well.

Tsunehisa ushered her ahead. She waved to Hawk-eye as they left the dining hall. Silence felt deafening as Tsunehisa closed the door behind them. The nights could be chilly, but the high walls of Aurora palace repelled the wind.

The palace was a stone labyrinth, designed to fool enemies. Corridor upon corridor of quarters, bedchambers, and gathering areas circled around a central grand pagoda. Even growing up in the palace, Oichi wasn't certain she had seen its entirety. Smallfolk told rumors of secret passages and rooms with treasure. Peasants' ranting mostly. What would the Emperor need with more gold?

"My apologies for Ser Naoshige, Princess," Tsunehisa said.

"Please, he is drunk, he has reason to celebrate," she replied.

"Yes—" Tsunehisa declared hesitantly. The old man may not have known ancient Pokemon, but he had served her father for her whole life. In that time, he had become one of the few ears that would not recite her words to her parents. "What is the matter my Princess?" he asked as they rounded a corner.

She was so relieved he asked, "The urchin—"

"The boy," he corrected.

"Yes, what is going to happen to him?"

Tsunehisa looked grave. "My Princess, I have only heard the jailer's gossip. It is for the Emperor to decide. As it stands, he attempted to kidnap you. Also, the investigation has yielded over twenty complaints of theft from ten different food and cloth vendors."

Oichi looked down, she wondered now how many times the boy had given his pitiful speech to get out of trouble. Still, how many Pignites had he fist fought?

"I am afraid the very best the boy can hope for is slaving the farm fields in the summer, and living out the winters in the dungeon. Provided he is a good laborer. I am sure his past crimes would be overlooked, had he not kidnapped you and injured His Majesty's Snorlax."

Oichi had nearly forgotten about the Snorlax they collided with, add that to his list of misfortunes, she thought. Now or never though, "You have been a great confidant to my father—"

"—And his father, and one emperor before him," Tsunehisa reminded her. Oichi had not noticed his Persian stalk silently up to them.

"Could you convince His Majesty to let the boy go?" She asked. Tsunehisa looked stern as they passed beneath a lantern. He said nothing. "That is, to thank him for saving my life, forgive his past crimes," she explained.

"He saved you because he was running from Aurora Guards. Nothing more than chance, my princess," he said.

"Nonetheless, I am here because of him. Naoshige would have been too late if he were not there," she said. She could tell he enjoyed the thought of Hawk-eye being lucky rather than skilled.

He shook his head. "I am deeply sorry, Princess. To let him go would go against everything I know in royal service to the people I swore to protect. True he saved your life, but I cannot let a thief loose on the streets to terrorize the citizens, please you must understand."

"I do." She didn't. Their walk ended at her door. "Goodnight Tsunehisa," she said.

"Goodnight my lady," he answered as she quietly shut him out. She sighed and sat against the door, more exhausted with the droll evening than the excitement of the day. She was old enough to know Choan was only using that betrothal ploy to play on her parent's obsession to marry her off.

The queen must have explained a hundred and fifty times that she was their only child. Without a son, there was no heir to Aurora's throne and that she should marry a good man to take her father's place. Is it right to marry smart?

Truthfully, she cared about her father, but was in no hurry to marry, especially suitors whom she hardly knew.

Deep reds and pinks adorned her room. The tapestries on the walls, the silks over her bed, the gold statues, the gemstones of her jewelry, it all made her sick while thinking of the boy in the dungeons. What is like to sleep on the streets? What is it like outside these walls? She had to wonder.

To make matters worse, she had been given his Eevee. It had been tethered to a gaudy Arceues statue between four red pillars standing in the center of the room. Oblong, red lanterns were strung overhead, casting a warm glow on the Pokemon. Her mother insisted it was a sign of good fortune.

"Puff!" her Pokemon chirped, smacking the Eevee with a pillow. Bora was a Jigglypuff, also a rare Aurora Pokemon. Jigglypuffs were balloon-like Pokemon with stubby feet and arms, and pointy cat-like ears. Bora's eyes were big emerald moons.

She whacked away as the Eevee lay submissively on its side. Oichi had seen it in action, the boy's Pokemon could make short work of Bora if it wanted to, tether or no. "Stop that!" Oichi shouted, snatching the pillow mid-swing, tossing it into the bed.

She knelt down to the Eevee who stared back sullenly. When she stroked his warm fur, he rolled away. I am sorry, she thought.

Bora screwed up her face and inflated to twice her normal size. "Don't give me that," she looked down at her. "You know what you did."

"Puff!" Bora snubbed her, climbing up on the bed. Oichi shrugged, pulling the Eevee into her lap. He just lay limp and lifeless in her arms. When they had first brought him in, he had barked unheedingly.

An Eevee, she thought. The Pokemon was so rare that she never learned about them when studying Aurora's Pokemon. Some said an Eevee hadn't been seen since the great hero of Ransei.

A light rapping sounded at her door. "In!" she called. Maa entered with a steamy bath of water and spicy scented oils, her Mincino romping around her feet. Maa was her age, and Oichi envied her blue eyes and creamy blond hair. She wore a turquoise gown that Oichi found very becoming.

"You don't look as bad as they say," Maa remarked, setting the tub down.

"Ugh, mother is so overprotective," Oichi moaned. "We supped with Choan tonight."

"Oh? How is our portly ambassador?"

"He is as rotund as he is tall." The two girls laughed. Maa slid behind her and started to brush Oichi's burgundy locks. "Your hair is glorious, your father must have been handsome before turning gray."

"I wouldn't know," Oichi said, wincing once. Maa's Pokemon, Kyo had wrestled Bora from the bed to brush her as well. Mincino's were renowned for their perfect coats. Oichi had always wanted one. Their round ears and long wispy tails made them irresistibly cute. "Pray tell, what is mother telling everyone?"

"Just that your half-charcoaled body is bedridden. The other serving maids and I have already gathered the flowers for your funeral," she japed.

"Oh is that all. I bet half of Aurora thinks me dead. Arceues knows, no one has seen me since the parade."

"I heard your float blew up as well," Maa said.

Oichi nodded. Maa slapped her on the shoulder playfully. "I'm brushing!"

Oichi giggled. She ran her fingers through her hair and gave it a toss. "Brat," Maa put the brush down. "Far be it from me to spare my lady a bad hair day." Maa always said "my lady" to mock her.

"Did you see my flying rescuer?" She asked as Maa led her over to the bath. Oichi bent over the swath of lavender oil.

"Heh, no. You mean Hawk-eye?" Oichi felt Maa's curiosity pique. She retrieved a metal dipper from the tub and splashed it over Oichi's head.

"Nope, an urchin boy. He swung by on a lantern rope, snatched me right off the float at the last moment." She decided to spare her the part about stealing the dumplings and running from the guards. "We crashed into father's Snorlax."

"Oh, that boy they brought to the dungeon?" She asked, pouring more water.

"Pfft. Yeah." Oichi spat soapy water back into the tub. Maa unlaced her gown and started scrubbing her shoulders with a coarse sponge.

"Handsome for an urchin," she said.

"Declare your betrothal now. It will give the Emperor all the more reason to spring him from the dungeon. His Eevee will be happy to have him back," Oichi gestured to the brown lump lying against the Arceues statue.

"An Eevee!" Maa shrieked, leaving her over the bath.

Oichi grabbed the cloth next to the tub and began drying her hair. The Eevee roused to Maa's touch, sniffing her hand and eyeing her. He even rolled onto his back so she could rub his stomach. "He's adorable," she cooed. "I've never seen anything like it."

"Mother says he is a sign of good fortune." One perhaps she should pass along to Maa. Oichi sighed. "Can you keep a secret?"

"You know I can't," Maa answered sarcastically, looking up at her.

"What do you think of Commander Naoshige?"

Maa was nonplussed. "He is old."

"He is not so old, Mother was much younger than father when they married," Oichi pointed out.

"Are you saying you are fond of Hawk-eye?"

Oichi blushed, hesitated, then nodded.

Maa rolled her eyes back to the Eevee. "I think my lady can do better."

"The people love him, he is brave and rather becoming for a man his age, he would make a splendid emperor," she pointed out.

"Perhaps," Maa said, tracing her gaze back to Oichi's. "You are serious aren't you?"

"Yes! He has only been in Aurora for a year. I can see he wishes to leave again. I want to see the world, to leave the country. My mother can serve as regent until Naoshige and I are ready to ascend the throne. I intend to speak with him tomorrow while mother and father hold assembly on what to do about Ignis."

"Well then." Maa rose with a half smile. "I will bid my lady goodnight. You simply cannot meet your love looking tired." Maa called Kyo back to her side and gathered her things. Oichi hugged her and they pecked each other's cheeks. "I'll return in the morning," she said, leaving for the night.

As she lay down and the silk sheets exhaled to fit her body, she recounted the legend of the Great Warrior of Ransei.

Acreus was a lowborn peasant, but a warrior from birth. He earned the Emperor's respect by winning tourneys at a very young age. It was said, his Eevee was able to change form at will to take on any opponent, even mighty rock Pokemon, which were known to confound Aurora breeds.******  
**

Pleased and amazed, the Emperor asked Acreus to lead his army. Expand the reach of Aurora. He told Acreus that if he could unite all of Ransei, the legendary Pokemon would appear to him, and with it no one could stand up to Aurora's might. He also promised his daughter's hand in marriage. A woman for which Acreus's love knew no bounds. Hesitantly, he agreed.

He ventured forth, conquering kingdom after kingdom with his might and wit. Over the years, he could no longer bear the burden of blood on his hands. His true mission became clear. Despite the Emperor's wishes, he no longer intended to bring the legendary Pokemon back to Aurora. Instead, he would use its power to bring lasting peace to all of Ransei.

Eventually he met Serpus the Black, Dragon Knight of Dragnor. The ambitious knight was every bit as renowned as Acreus. The two battled their Pokemon for a fortnight without rest. It was then Acreus realized his death. Their battle ravaged the "head" of Ransei, spanning across four nations. On the sixteenth day, warrior and Pokemon collapsed of sheer exhaustion.

Serpus perished just moments before Acreus. It was in that brief victory, the legendary Pokemon appeared. "Acreus, I acknowledge your might. You have given yourself to unite all of Ransei. You have my eternal gratitude. I will grant you any wish your heart desires."

More than anything, Acreus wanted to go back to Aurora, to marry the Princess, to live out the rest of his days in happiness. He was the only person to look upon the God, he said, "I wish only for peace in Ransei."

A child's tale, Oichi thought. She had to get away from her parents, and Aurora palace. Perhaps she would yearn to come back, she needed find out. But how? Knighthood she thought as sleep overtook her.


	3. Counting the Losses

**Hey all. I tried to get around it, but I had to add a Rapidash to the story, even though that Pokemon doesn't apear in the game. Please offer reviews if you can. I was concerned with the pacing of this chapter, please let me know what you think. I appreciate returning readers, and your continued support.**

**Chapter Three**

**Counting the Losses**

********Hanbei's long white coat snapped in the wind breaking on Ignis Palace's obsidian walls. Atop an ancient volcano the peasants actually believed it was formed from an eruption centuries before man set foot on Ransei. From its pinnacle, he stood over all of Ignis. A fog veiled the low-built countryside climbing the edges of the bowl-shaped valley. From up here everything looked healthy and green, but he knew better, the streets were laden with poverty and shit.

Hideyoshi stomped back and forth, wearing his father's golden Kabuto and his practice gee. Osu, his Monferno, perched on his shoulder. Monferno's were thigh-height orange pokemon with long fiery tails and fists like iron balls, better suited for pounding out swords than any-gentler tasks.

Three prisoners in front of him were all clad in cerulean Fontaine plate. They were all bound and kneeling, and before each man there was a fiery mouth belching white smoke into the evening orange sky. Each man was tethered by their feet with rope in plenty to a stake, pounded into the castle behind each pit.

Go, Hideyoshi's wife, stood next to Hanbei. She was wearing a long fiery dress, and had her brown hair tied into a single short braid. Her eyes were black as the night, flecked with innocent stars. Her Piplup, pitifully small thing, blue as daylight, with a beak useful for little more than blowing bubbles, stood next her. She had not left the Prince's side since her father had met his untimely demise.

Hanbei's stomach flopped around like a choking fish as he looked the captives over, these men were not hired for this. One of them had had his metal mask melted to his face from a run-in with an Ignis watch member. His head was free of hair and burned to the point of ash. The next one's face beaten beyond recognition, lips puffy, eyes swollen to blue fists, and black blood clotted to the side of his face. The last one however, seemed to have yielded, he was untouched, staring stone faced at Prince Hideyoshi. He was the one Hanbei feared the most.

Kanbei had persuaded them well, but when it came down to it, they were ignorant peasants. Faced with death they would surely tell the Prince the truth, that Hanbei had orchestrated the attack, that it was he who had tried to kill Lord Pyre. All for some chance to go back to their normal and hideous lives. A futile chance at that.

Hideyoshi gave a frustrated nod to an orange cloaked watchman behind the first prisoner. Hanbei's heart played at his ribs as the burned man was kicked into the pit in front of him. He let out some horrible noise, something like a scream. The smoke turned a thick black and stenches of burning flesh curled up Hanbei's nose. He started coughing.

Go ran forward, clinging to her husband's arm. "Please don't!" she begged. He yanked away from her.

"No! Your father showed mercy! Small good that did him." Her father was none other than the blunderous King Aqi. The only mistake bigger than refusing to bow to that usurper was thinking Ignis would someday come to his aid if he married his daughter to an offspring of Lord Pyre. "And what's wrong with you?" his sudden turning on Hanbei nearly made him shed his skin.

"N-nothing my lord," Hanbei answered. "I like mine medium rare though," he remarked, drawing in another horrible breath. Hideyoshi returned to his pacing. Hanbei's eyes stayed on the last man, who didn't look one bit afraid.

The young firelord pounced on the beaten prisoner, plunging his hand through the white smoke. He pulled the man over the pit by the scruff of his collar. "Why did you try to murder my father?" he yelled. Hanbei was relieved to see the man hack a festering loogie in Hideyoshi's face. Hideyoshi shoved him back to the other side of the pit, standing and wiping the spit. He gave the signal to the next watchman.

The smoke of the next pit turned black. Go dropped to her knees, sobbing in her hands. Her Piplup waddled over, trying to comfort her. "I told you not to come up here! Did you not know what I was doing?" He yelled at her. Hanbei balled his fists, hidden beneath his long sleeves. She was beautiful, it was infuriating the way he treated her.

When the screaming choked to a stop, Hideyoshi set his eyes on the last prisoner. A shiver ran down Hanbei's back. The last two were unable to talk, he thought frantically, so frantically that he had just noticed the purple pumpkin charm around the man's neck. He felt the cool winds for the first time as he realized the ends to which Kanbei had gone not to get caught.

It ended with the prisoner keeping forcibly silent and being kicked into the pit, at which time the charm must have burned off, because he too started screaming. Hideyoshi stood before the Ignis watch dissatisfied.

"Have their Pokemon been dealt with?"

One of the orange-clad guards nodded.

"Good," the Prince muttered, walking briskly past his wife. "Where were they from, Hanbei?" he asked, the threat gone from his voice.

"Hmm... if I'd venture a guess. Their plate was too light to be Aurora, and they were caught with a wooper, a spheal, and a bibarel. The Fontaine conqueror would like to weigh his balls against Lord Pyre's it would seem." If only I could be so lucky, Hanbei thought bitterly.

Osu jumped off Hideyoshi's shoulder and gave a shout. "You're right Osu! We have to strike before they do."

"My prince should seek counsel with his lord father before making such a move," Hanbei suggested knowing full well that even from his pissed bed, Lord Pyre was as ornery as ever.

Hideyoshi offered no opposition. "Clean this up," he waved over the pits to the orange watch. "Escort my lady to her bedchamber!" he commanded as one of the orange cloaks lifted Lady Go gently from the ground. They entered a dark swirling stairwell together, descending into a round, windowless, torch-lit room with a shimmering black floor of volcanic glass. The orange cloak swept Go ahead, disappearing into a stairwell to the left. Lady Pyre rose from the stair ahead almost at the same time, following the sounds of Go's sobs.

She wore loose-fitting, hot colored silks. Lady Pyre had a matronly beauty the fantasy of most men in their private hours. She was tall with a narrow waist, long legs, and thick breasts. Her eyes were simmering coals, and her long hair was jet black. Her fair hands brushed over her son, embracing him. "My son, my young man," she began.

"Mother," he complained. "The assassins told us nothing, but we believe they are from Fontaine. We will counterattack them as soon as the troops have gathered," he explained, trying to sound bold, but squealing like a child instead.

His mother pulled away. That woman's eyes had a peculiar power over her son. Only she could douse the wildfire. If only Lady Go could learn from her. Osu was pulling at her silks when she turned and lifted the Pokemon in her arms. Lady Pyre herself was unable to court even the weakest of Pokemon. She was not born a warrior. Osu's tail dimmed to the bulbing blue flame of a dying torch. "You would wage war, put your friend's lives at risk on an uncertainty that the assassins were from Fontaine?" She asked.

Such a sensible woman, Hanbei thought. If only she would ascend lord Pyre's throne instead of her unstable son, there would be no need for any of this. He took his leave, hearing 'go to your wife and comfort her,' as her last words. 'Yes mother,' Hideyoshi's voice responded.

With the light of dusk beaming in from the window, his room had a comforting glow. He closed himself in to wait for nightfall when he'd make his next move. He wanted with everything to surrender to sleep, but he would be waiting, and he didn't like being made to wait. Tomodachi curled himself up on Hanbei's bed, slumbering away. Pikachu's were widely popular. They were the same size as Piplups, but lightning crackled through their lean bodies. The end of Tomodachi's lightning bolt tail tied him in a little yellow-and-brown striped knot.

Hanbei shed his hat and ran his hands through swampy hair. He had just thrown himself onto his cool silky bed as an authoritative knock that could only be that of the Ignis watch sounded at his door. "Kaa!" Tomodachi flew off the bed and smacked against the floor, writhing to his feet.

Nagayasu couldn't even wait for his call before charging in and twisting Hanbei's collar in his clutches. The wall hit Hanbei in the head and his decorative Ignis Pokemon vase fell over, exploding into countless pieces. Tomodachi was up, his red cheeks throwing sparks, but Nagayasu's Emboar had come ready to make Pikachu slippers. Emboars were the fat and dumb end of the life span for Tepigs. They were taller and broader than men, barrel chests as black as coal. When agitated, tall flames would burn around their necks. Nagayasu, head of the watch was pinkish and pig-nosed, and not all that much different in shape and size to his Emboar. He had shed his orange cloak for casual leathers.

"So, you'll have us smashed on Fontaine's walls will you?" he grunted through sandy whiskers, throwing Hanbei into a small wooden table at the foot of his bed.

His back moaned as the pieces splintered into sharp knuckles. Nagayasu wrenched him off the ground. Hanbei could feel his legs hanging limply. A hit to the gut made his toes curl, then he was on the ground again. "Foolish boy, trying to have my men killed?" He raised his foot to kick Hanbei in the face.

"Wait!" he said. "We don't want to have to explain any visible bruises to his highness do we?" Hanbei asked, grinning upward. Nagayasu bent down, snorting a steamy, rancid breath in Hanbei's face.

"You don't have the gold to cover so many lives," he growled.

"How about the entire Ignis treasury?" Nagayasu's face went blank and Hanbei swore he could see something working in Pigface's brain.

"Yes, that's right. I didn't have to involve you, but once Hideyoshi is dethroned and my goals are met, we'll need to take Ignis back. You can be its new ruler, have all the gold you and your...piglets could ever want." Hanbei said, lurching over. Nagayasu missed the insult at his chunky offspring, probably thinking of the gold. It was amazing how far one could get in Ignis with big muscles and a slow cognitive process.

"You ought to be thanking me. I approached you," Hanbei was standing now, calmly, for anger was just not his way. "I could have left you and let the young prince make you squeal at every beck and call."

"Fuck you, boy," Nagayasu grunted.

"I should hope not," Hanbei chuckled. Even Nagayasu could understand that one. He cracked a little smile himself.

"If this doesn't work, or I am discovered, it will be you who the Prince makes squeal, mark my words." With that, the big man and his Emboar snorted, retreating from the room. Hanbei's heart leapt at the door slamming.

He fell to his knees clutching his stomach, trying not to cry. Tomodachi scampered to his side, "Pika pi."

"It's okay. I'm okay," he groaned patting his Pokemon's head. Dammit, he thought. I will never let that lummox rule Ignis, he swore. His body was weak and training his Pokemon had always been second, but his brain made him advisor to the Prince, and with it he would bring Ransei out of its dark ages.

He peeled himself off the floor sometime later, decided he would pick up his table and precious vase in the morning and lay on his bed with a book in preparation for yet another sleepless night. It didn't take long for darkness to descend over Ignis.

He swung off his bed and pulled a burnt orange cloak over his head. Blowing out the torches first, he made his way into the dark hallway. "Come, Tomo," he whispered. The Pikachu roused to his side.

Scant torches made shadows of the Palace bowels. He was housed on the same floor as Hideyoshi and Lady and Lord Pyre. As he passed Hideyoshi's corridor, he heard the sounds of he and Lady Go making amends.

Skittering past Lord Pyre's corridor, he heard the wailing of night terrors, afflicted by the fever. He could only wish the Lord a long and painful death. There would be no pity for him. The thought of faking condolences for Hideyoshi's sake was already nauseating.

Paying handsome tolls to the guards he was beyond the iron gates in minutes. The night was bitterly cold, the stars hidden away behind a quick cloud cover.

Once at the base of the mountain, he entered the maze of bustling streets. Drunkards and whores were a noisy bunch, stumbling over their own filth. On more than one occasion, he felt Tomodachi's sparks readying to defend his master. Pikachu's weren't native to Ignis though, if anyone spotted Tomodachi, there would be evidence he'd left the palace. So he kept to the main roads he knew the watch patrolled regularly.

"Help! Help! Please!" a woman's cry begged from a behind a tavern. An ear piercing smack silenced her. Two orange-cloaks were just outside the dram shack, japing and laughing. If they were aware of the misdoings, they didn't care. If only Hideyoshi knew what a bastard his father is.

Hanbei walked far beyond the bustling streets, until he found himself alone in the dark of a farm field, waiting for him to appear. Tomo's attempts to illuminate the field around them gave the waist-high, low hanging fog an eerie bluish glow. He couldn't see a blasted thing. Tomodachi clung to his leg, shivering. "Where is he? I will be missed if I'm gone too long," Hanbei said, figuring the sound of his own voice was better than nothing at all.

A snort from behind made him scream. He felt a cold, steely point rise up his spine. A frigid whisper burned his ear, "Kanbei requests your presence, he knows the way."

"Who?" Hanbei asked, spinning around. The sight of a gaunt and ghostly rapidash surprised him. Black flames crackled up its mane as it scraped the ground with its hooves. As for the whisperer, there was no one behind him. He circled the Rapidash, looking for a person. Though unsure he wanted to find one.

The Rapidash stamped its feet, urging him to climb on. The Pokemon knelt down. Hanbei exchanged glances with Tomo. "Pika," he shrugged. Hanbei threw his leg over. His thin legs played on the Pokemon's ribs and its protruding spine was uncomfortable in places scarcely seen.

They galloped far into the night. For the first hour they stayed the main road, passing many thatched roofs and torchlit windows. He scarcely wondered how this could be inconspicuous. The Pokemon took a sharp turn, wet leaves slapped his face, and a sharp branch snapped at his ear. "Flash!" he yelled to Tomodachi.

"Pika!" he sounded, giving blue glow to the thick gnarl. Hanbei stayed low, shielding himself behind the neck of the Rapidash. The wood whispered curses as they passed just out of its grip. As suddenly as it came, they escaped into open air. The hooves started pounding something hard, stone, thought Hanbei.

He looked up hesitantly as the Pokemon slowed to a trot. Tomodachi's sparks were lighting a steep craggy wall, too steep for climbing, especially for the Rapidash. "Here?" he asked, expecting an answer.

Large stones in front of them became glowing orange eyes, like active magma seeping to the surface. Riding up on them, the light formed linework in the shape of skulls. The Rapidash took each step in the center of the forehead, and slowly the stones began to rise. The floating stones were forming a staircase, climbing high above the clouds.

Hanbei swallowed hard as he looked at the ground sinking away with each step. Plummeting to his death was all he could think of. Tomodachi writhed in his tight grip. The crag disappeared beneath the clouds, and the ground with it. "Whoa." His breath curled about his lips.

"Chu, chu!" the Pikachu pushed his chin upward. His eyes grew wide, for twice today had he been shocked into a completely alert state. A massive stone flower was just-floating against the face of the moon.

The stones led the Rapidash to land on the rock, which was more a deep purple crystal upon closer inspection. Blue, orange and violet veins pulsed through the ground in geometric patterns lighting the crystal with this strange energy. The Rapidash stopped dead. Hanbei kicked, but the beast would go no further. It bucked up on its hind legs, trying to throw him off.

"Alright, alright, I'll go." He dismounted and looked around, Tomodachi followed, equally bewildered. The first thing he did was kneel down and touch one of the veins. Whatever it was it clung to his fingers. As hard as he tried, he couldn't seem to rub it away.

The Rapidash whinnied, urging him forward. So they went, wandering amongst the spires. Some of them were waist height, others he swore were as tall as Ignis Palace. Finally, an ominous glow lead him to a clearing, with a cloaked man meditating in its center. Kanbei.

His footsteps grew bolder now. "What is this place? This is amazing." Hanbei said. When Kanbei didn't answer, he walked even closer. He reached out and yanked away Kanbei's hood. He fell to his backside, screaming bloody murder. Just one eye looked up at him. One red pupil, rolling around in a spacious socket, and Kanbei's mouth twisted into a jagged grin.

A shadow swept over him, then materialized behind him as Kanbei's Dusknoir. "Damn ghost Pokemon," he swore, growing instantly angry. Dusknoirs were said to be grim reapers. They wore gray faceless hoods and had one hateful red eye. Their mouths were on their round girth, in a stitched shape, the same shape Kanbei's mouth had been moments ago. Tomodachi's cheeks crackled, getting ready to fight when Kanbei's steel-clawed hand raised to stop him.

Kanbei looked only half his age, literally. The left part of his hair was white as the moon while the other half stayed black as the night sky. His garbs glowed intricate patterns the exact colors of the shades in the crystal. Against the night sky and the colored ground, it would be difficult to spot him from a distance.  
Kanbei's white eyes glanced up at him. No one had taught Kanbei to smile, his face was always frozen in a perpetual frown. "I am glad we could meet." His voice was like gravel underfoot.

"Heh, yeah," Hanbei quivered. "Quite the place you have here," he remarked. "Roomy, nice view, bet the price is high."

"Silence," he sanpped. "I have gathered news." He gestured and a litwick appeared like a struck match at his side. Litwicks were living, well dead, white candles that glowed with eerie purple flames. Their eyes were empty and soul stealing.

"News? From up here? I have some news for you as well," he said, crossing his sleeves and shivering in the night air.

"Sit," Kanbei gestured before him. He obeyed. "Ghost Pokemon are among the oldest sentient beings. They are closest to humans because some of them used to be. They witness things, growing their fruits of knowledge until they are ripe for picking," Kanbei explained, palming the Litwick. "He has come a long way."

He, as if such an amorphous thing could have a gender, Hanbei thought.

Kanbei and the Litwick set eyes on each other for an uncomfortable length of time. Hanbei swore he would kiss it if he weren't watching. "The darkness in the northeast is upon us now," he said finally. "There is someone else in this region who seeks the treasure of Aurora, someone else who knows of its existence."

"Do you even know what this treasure is?" Hanbei asked. "Do we play this horrible game for gold?"

"Not gold," Kanbei glowered. "The Devil Stone."

"Devil stone?" Hanbei had read about it many times. "The heart of a legendary Pokemon? My friend, if you have made do all I have for a myth, I swear your head will-"

"It is real," he interrupted. "I will gladly take my own life, but I fear it will not change the existence of the Devil Stone."

"Okay fine, let's say it is real. Is the legendary Pokemon also in Aurora?" he asked.

"...no..." Kanbei breathed.

"Where is it?"

"I do not know, but the dark warlord believes he does."

"Good, so we change the plan now that we know its location right?"

"...no..." he sighed again.

"What! Why!"

"The triad must be united before the access to the stone is granted. In each nation there is a key. Four keys are needed to obtain the Devil Stone."

"We can tell the regents then, let them sort it out," Hanbei suggested, desperately wanting to wash his hands of the whole thing.

"Corruption runs through the very roots of this land. The Ignis Lord is a tyrant, Fontaine is under a usurper, Aurora's Queen is a-"

"Fine!" Hanbei answered sourly. The wind battered the rock as a long silence passed between them.

"What news have you brought?" Kanbei asked finally. Hanbei's heart lept a few beats. He wasn't so sure he wanted to say it now, but he knew Kanbei would find out, his willing or no.

"Lord Pyre remains bedridden, thankfully enough. Prince Hideyoshi is well frustrated with your attempt at his father's life. Thank you for the disable charms around their necks."

Kanbei offered no welcomings. "Is the young lord ready to wage war on Fontaine?"

"Well, he was about to," Hanbei muttered quietly.

"What!" Kanbei yelled. The Litwick in his hand shot bright blue flames into the air, singeing the fine hairs of Hanbei's face. Tomodachi cowered behind him. "Why haven't you advised him? Pushed him to avenge his father?"

"W-well, his mother calmed the Prince. Brought him back to his senses. They are assessing the situation," Hanbei explained. The Litwick's bluster died back down.

"Then there is only one thing that can be done. Ignis is the most powerful nation in the Triad and the most unfit to obtain the stone. We must weaken Ignis against Fontaine, and Aurora must win the day." Kanbei threw a golden lantern charm into Hanbei's lap. "Lady Pyre must die."

"No, please, not that. Don't make me do this," Hanbei begged. "Can't you have more of yours do it?"

"My ranks grown thin, they have a much more important task. It would seem the last two assassins I sent to Aurora failed. If we cannot move Aurora to attack, then all we will have is an empowered Lord Hideyoshi who has bowled Fontaine over with sheer body count." Kanbei sat up straight, locking eyes with him. "Do you want to save Ransei?"

"Y-yes but-"

"Then there is no other way. Slip this over Hideyoshi's neck as he sleeps-"

"No no no," Hanbei begged.

"The Prince will take the life of his own mother, and you will make him believe Fontaine soldiers have assassinated her."

Hanbei looked down at the charm in his lap, glinting against the moonlight. Of all the vile and perverse orchestrations thus far, there is no comparing to this. How could I possibly make a man kill his own mother? I-it is for the sake of Ransei, he thought. Hideyoshi, my friend, I am so sorry.

Kanbei leaned over to him and ripped a tuft of hair from his head. "What are you doing?" Hanbei shouted, massaging his newly plucked scalp.

"We will be in touch. You have one week, then I will send the next wave to Aurora." Kanbei hissed.


	4. Fight Like a Man

I apologize to all you grammar sticklers out there, but I have lost the patience to indent each paragraph. If only this widget allowed for using the TAB key. Thanks again to my dedicated followers.

**Chapter 4**

**Fight like a man**

Hiro thumbed about in the pitch blackness, his eyes focused completely on the sliver of torchlight outlining the black giant of a cell door looming over him. For the first time in ages, he wasn't forced to wail or whimper from pain. Though the chains on his wrists and ankles allowed for little else.

His own sweat had repulsed him before, but now his breeches were sticky and scented with expired urine. The chamberpot in the cell had only been changed once during his stay. He fretted the next time he would need to reach out for it.

It was hard to know how long he had been down here, but judging by the crick in his back, it was more than a couple of days. He'd had six meals so far and the first five were of putrid rawstberry paste. It seemed to help the burning. He would have to remember that if he ever saw daylight again.

His finger plunged into something cold and greasy on a metal tray. Not Yukinaga's famous dumplings. He raked the food in, chunks of something sloshed over his hand. Piss was preferable to the smell. Soup? he wondered. He found something narrow and hard swimming in it. He grabbed it in a hurry, engulfing it in his fingers, then presented it to the giant.

In the faint light he could make out a rib cage. He threw the bones to the ground and shoved the plate spilling away, thinking only of Kami. Are they serving me my own Pokemon before I die? he wondered. It made him miserable knowing the best fighting chance Kami had was becoming food for a Persian or for Brave.

If his insides weren't heaving hotly, they were heaving warmly crying for his friend. His chains rattled as he slunk back, defeated. He threw his head into his hands. He wondered how long they would keep him before stringing his corpse on the gallows. I would go back if I could. I am truly sorry to everyone I've stolen from. I would let myself grow thin and starve, let the clothes rot off my body before I ever steal again. Just a second chance is all I ask.

The giant barked. A scraping came from outside and the door groaned. Even the torches fighting off the dank hallway were painfully blinding. A man and a Pokemon, a Bibarel, stood in the open doorway. The man was clad in azure Aurora plate, Hiro remembered him. He was the same man he'd tossed into the barrel the day he'd stolen dumplings.

A surge of confusion, fear and relief bubbled inside as the man unhinged the chains around Hiro's ankles. "Come on, boy," the man's voice echoed all around him like some haunting ghost. "Rel, rel," his Pokemon chimed in. The guard hoisted him to his feet and pushed him along the long corridor.

Hiro had no idea where he was, but he did know he'd been brought down many flights of stairs. Kami would want him to escape, to start over and live a better life. He mulled over a plan as they approached the first stone staircase.

Four, five, six steps up he jumped back and stomped his heel into the guard's foot. He threw his head back. The metal mask hurt the back of his head, but the guard released Hiro and fell back, roaring, "Help! Dammit!"

Hiro darted up the last few steps, then rounded the corner to another dark hallway. He sprinted twice the length of his walk from the cell. He stomped up yet another stair, rounding to another hallway. His heart had moved up to his neck, hammering at his throat, "Run! Run you fool!" it told him.

Two more levels were a blur as he heard the guard's voice trailing after him. Oh, by Arceues, he's coming. Hiro pressed into the crook of cell door frame. His heart leapt as the Bibarel bounded past. Hollers boomed down the hall, followed by clacking footsteps. "Damn kid. Done broke my nose," the guard thundered past holding his face.

Hiro breathed a sigh of relief. I'm not out yet, he thought. He waited until the armor footsteps were out of earshot before continuing at a swift jog. His hands still shackled, there wasn't much he could do if he ran into trouble, or any way he could really hide being a prisoner, if the rancid clothing and dirt-stained skin didn't give him away first.

One more level and he could finally see the white of daylight at the end of the corridor, which just now felt black and treacherous. As he approached the exit he slowed to a sneaking. Outside was more of the same hallway. Lighter, wider, and lit by the sun, but still a grey stone labyrinth. He curled his neck around the outside of the dungeon.

Two black leather hands nearly tore the shirt right off him. He was yanked from the shadows. A blow to the stomach buckled him. His whole body cried in pain as he was thrown into one of the jagged stone walls. When he could open his eyes, he was looking straight upon the steely face of Hawk-eye himself.

Hawk-eye drew in on him, spouting hot breaths on his chin. "That was a coy little trick you pulled back there, rodent," he growled through clenched teeth. "I'd have a mind to break those shackles off you and give you a whippin'" he said. He dropped Hiro to the ground.

Unable to catch himself, Hiro ate dirt. Hawk-eye's boot came down on his ear. Hiro squirmed to get up, but Hawk-eye beared down on him until he cried out.

"Still fighting, rodent?"

Hiro meant to say "Fuck you," but it came out more like "Ngngh, nhou."  
Hawk-eye laughed and ran his gloved hand over his long spiky mane. "Good, you'll need all that fight. To me, you're the rodent with the biggest balls. I'm gonna treat you as such." He let up. Hiro was seething by the time he was balanced and back on his feet. The loogie he'd been saving swat Hawk-eye right in the face.

He pushed and tripped Hiro to the stones again. "Worst of all, yer fuckin' daddy didn't teach you no manners either." Hiro felt the boot collide with his ass, knocking him off his hands. "Lesson one then, manners. I'm a knight. And believe it or not, that Snorlax's ass who you keep beating up is a knight as well. Show yer damn respect," he ordered, wiping the spit from his eye. "Now get up!" he barked.

Hiro was already trying, but Hawk-eye booted him again. "I said get up!"

"I'm trying!" Hiro yelled at him. Only to push up and getting kicked a third time.

Hawk-eye knelt down and grabbed the back of his shirt. "I said get the fuck up!" He raised Hiro off the ground with one hand. Hiro was about to turn and curse at him again when the word kicked him in the ass harder than anyone's boot, lesson.

Hawk-eye pushed him through the corridors for some time before the courage to ask found him, "lesson one? There are more?"

"Aye," Hawk-eye offered and no more. They walked longer. It wasn't until they were free of the corridors Hiro realised he was deep within Aurora Palace's walls. The azure pagoda stood many stories upward behind them, entrenched in small huts and the stone maze. Their walk had opened into a broad, green courtyard. Hiro's eyes could seldom make out the walls along the edges of the field.

All around him, warriors in white training gees and colorful dougi fought each other. Bone-breaking snaps brought his attention to two such men in particular. One of them old, hard and blonde, the other a younger, dark haired man, scrawnier but faster it looked like. Their Pokemon, a Bibarel and a Persian exchanged furious yowls as they rolled in the grass. A shrill roar sounded as a black-haired woman and her Snorlax broke boards simultaneously. "Go! Go!" A man shouted to his wispy-furred Cincino as it leapt for a woman's Staravia. Cincinos were small, grey rodent Pokemon, that despite their beauty could be quick and deadly. They were rare in the wild, Hiro had been thankful for that. Staravia were winged and nimble, gray and egg-colored feathers. They weren't as fast or as dangerous as Braviaries.

A hard push on his back made him look forward. He wasn't headed for the gallows after all. Instead a large wooden barn stood isolated in what looked to be the middle of the field. The azure-roofed building was quite large up close, perhaps even the width of the main market road. Hawk-eye stepped in front of him and threw a heavy oaken bar aside. He pushed the door open and gestured for Hiro to step in. Hawk-eye's grin made him want to take his chances escaping back through the fields with all those soldiers and their Pokemon. What is this? He's going to execute me in private? Or is he going to let the Aurora guard's Pokemon tear me apart? He thought swallowing hard.

As he walked in, Hawk-eye's hand clapped him on the shoulder, "Wait," he commanded. Hiro tensed up for another punch. Instead the shackles on his wrists hit the floor with a heavy and bounceless thunk.

He turned to gape at Hawk-eye. "I-I don't understand," he croaked.

Hawk-eye leaned against the doorway, crossed his arms, giving Hiro a cool stare. "Balls or just stupid, I still can't tell. I've got to make a knight out of you, rodent," he grunted.

"A...knight?"

"I don't understand them highbrow lords. The Princess wants you for a knight. So don't die tryin'" he mocked. He leaned forward and gestured to a stall. The inside of the barn was lit by but two windows, high up on the gables. For nightfall, broad-brimmed black lanterns hung from the rafters. Hiro got the sense he had seen them before. A row of stalls lined both the long walls. Each a pen full of Aurora's Pokemon. "There's a washtub in there, and some new garments. Ya fuckin' stink, go wash up and stay here. I mean it now. If you leave, those warriors out there will rip you into a hundred fifty little pieces. You'll be stayin' here either until you become a knight or you die. We'll send a serving girl with food and water in a few hours, don't go touching now or I'll come back and whoop yer ass good. An' rest up. In the mornin' you're mine," he explained, leaving with a sharp slam of the door.

With that he was alone and slightly overwhelmed. Hiro took in a breath of fresh barn air. Sweet hay and unfurnished wood warmed his insides as he looked over his new home. Home! he thought. He couldn't even remember when last he slept under a real roof, especially one so sturdy! he thought, admiring the wooden innards above and the lofts. He watched a Munchlax watch him as he swept about the open floor, laughing and hooting at his luck. He had no idea what he did right. Is this my second chance?

He ran to the stall Hawk-eye had pointed out. A kept promise. There was indeed a wooden washtub. "It's even warm!" he shouted at a pen of Meowth. He sprang over to his new cotton clothes. Not a single rip in them. Then he found more clothes. A practice gee, a formal sash and white cloak, and leather armor. By Arceues, it's true! He thought. He could barely wait to strip away the piss stained clothes before plunging his hand into the tub to retrieve the smooth stone at the bottom. He scrubbed, and laughed, and it was glorious.

Time no longer eluded him. In about an hour he had calmed down again, thinking of Kami once more. The new clothes hugged him softly, he felt nimble and clean, but none of it mattered without Kami to share it. He spent another hour, recounting everything they had been through together. Old friend, I hope you're out there, and that we see each other again. He began to think Kami had escaped. Brave would have had his talons full with the Pignite and Tepig. Kami was quick and so very smart. There was no way they'd have taken him, alive or dead, he thought, drying what he hoped would be his last batch of tears. The door at the far length of the barn creaked open.

Little sharp barks, and high girlish laughter echoed from the roof. He definitely heard a Mincino, but there was something else as well. "Heev! Heev! Grr, Vee!"

"Now now, calm down," laughed the high voice. Hiro scrambled around the side of the stall to see a girl with shimmering gold hair flowing over her shoulders closing the barn door behind her. She had a tray of food in her hands which Hiro scarcely looked at, for circling her feet was none other than oak furred, quick witted, Kami.

Kami was ruffling the girl's pink silk gown, chasing the Mincino in circles. Outrage flashed within Hiro, I was in the hell of that dungeon, thinking the worst, and he's been playing nice with some girl and her grey rodent?

"Kami!" he barked, furiously. As soon as the Eevee's eyes met his, he surrendered the anger like a warm blanket. "Kami," he whimpered.

"Heev? Heev!" Kami bolted, taking him clear off his feet as he dove for his chest. Hiro threw his arms around the little furball while Kami tried licking him to death. Hiro laughed until his already aching sides could take no more.

He rolled upright laughing hysterically. Kami was still nipping playfully at his ear when he pulled him away. "Shall I give you private time?" the girl asked with a gleaming smile, kneeling and placing the tray in front of him. Now the plates of rice, soaked meats, and dumplings of course became interesting. He and Kami need not look at each other before starting to tear at the food.

"You are hungry," the girl remarked. "I suppose the dungeon food was not to your liking."

Hiro swallowed a mouthful that nearly brought tears to his eyes. "It's better than nothing though," he answered. Neglecting his utensils he held a long piece of meat out to her, "here, you hungry too?" he asked.

The girl looked at the meat, mouth slightly agape as if she'd never seen such a thing. The Mincino tapped her thigh. "Oh," she said. "No, no thank you."

"Suit yourself," Hiro said, poking the meat into his mouth.

The girl laughed. "You are not so bad as they say. You do not look a thief or a kidnapper," she remarked, letting him see her blue eyes for the first time.

He wasn't. Not anymore. He was going to be knight now, that was most important. He took a moment to gulp down another mouthful. "That's a thief's best weapon," he stated matter-of-factly. "Surprise," he said wearing a childish grin. The girl seemed to like that. He pat Kami on the head as he too helped himself to the tray. "So, what is your name?" Hiro asked, looking straight at her.

"Maa," she responded, avoiding eye-contact.

"Hiro," he declared. "When they said serving girl, I guess I expected someone not so..."

"Pretty-"

"Old," he said at the same time. "Wait, huh?" he asked.

"Oh," she began. "Well when they said thief-kidnapper I did not expect one so scrawny," she remarked through a narrow stare and satisfied smirk.

"Keep feeding me like this and it won't be a problem," he said, puffing out his cheeks.

Maa chuckled politely. "He would not eat. He is very dear to you then?" she asked, glancing at Kami.

"Kami? He's my friend. He just crawled out of the bushes one day, and we've stayed together since I was six years old. Looking out for each other, you know? How about you? You're a warrior too?" He pointed out.

"Hmm..." she responded, watching her Mincino present a dumpling to Kami. "Kyo was a gift. I suppose my warrior parents hoped that I too could court Pokemon."

Hiro nodded. "Do you know why they are making me a knight?"

"I know it is the Princess's deed," with that Maa rose slowly. "I will leave you in peace," she bowed.

"Oh, well if you see the Princess, please tell her thanks," he said looking up at her.

She bowed and retreated toward the door. Hiro smiled and called out, "Wait." She turned just as she was opening the door. "Will I see you again sometime?"

She looked up as if to consider it. "Mayhaps," she grinned. Kyo waved cutely to Kami before the two made their leave.

Hiro could scarcely believe he was going to be a knight. Princess Oichi helped me after all, he thought, hoping to see her again soon as well. He and Kami made themselves a nest in the hay of the washtub stall and lay awake for some time before falling to sleep.

Food, shelter, friendly women, a bed of hay to sleep on, it was all too good to be true. For the first time in since he could remember, Hiro went to bed with a full stomach and nothing to worry about. Sleep turned out to be scarce. A thundering smash nearly tore the barn door off its hinges.

Hiro's heart lept to his throat as his eyes flipped open. Kami nearly hit the roof. "Up! Now, rodent! I mean it!" It was Hawk-eye.

Hiro groaned and looked up at the stars through one of the barn's windows. Not even daybreak yet, he thought. Kami ran out from the stall first, growling angrily.

"Don't bare your teeth to me you little hairball," Hawk-eye shouted, trouncing down the aisle. Hiro was in the process of stripping away his cotton clothes to dawn his practice gee when Hawk-eye rounded the corner. "This one here needs to sleep with the oth-Oh dammit boy, you're not dressed yet?" He complained but wore that same stone stare. "I take back the statement about the biggest balls, you're just any old rodent," he said as Hiro pulled on his pants.

This was the first time he had ever seen Hawk-eye out of his black flight suit. He too had donned a training gee, with a black dougi. WIthout the goggles, his hair curled like smoke over his shoulders . "I'm sorry," he said quickly, nearly falling over. He had gotten up much too fast.

"Sorry? What are you sorry for? You're going to be a knight, you need to know if a knight says sorry too much, he's weak. You gonna say sorry when you fail to defend your kingdom? You gonna say sorry when you're enemy's Pokemon is about to rip your head off?" He growled.

"Okay, okay, sorry," Hiro said, tying his gee. Hawk-eye narrowed his eyes and tightened his lips. Oops, Hiro thought.

"Get the fuck out in that field!" He roared, coming at him. Hiro scrambled out of the stall, wincing away from what he was sure would be a whack to the back of the head.

Barefooted, he stepped into the blue sea of grass. Dewdrops glittered like shooting stars as his feet sent them upward. Aurora palace, tall and dark against the moon, slumbered in the near distance. The fields were all but quiet, save some talkative, unseen starly greeting the turning of days. A few paces away from the safety of the barn, he asked, "Where are the rest of the knights?"

"Asleep most certain," Hawk-eye responded. "I want to see what you've got. Gotta know how much work I need to do," he explained. "Now hussle!" He grunted jogging ahead. Hawk-eye almost seemed excited.

Hiro struggled to work up the enthusiasm. He was in the middle of yawning and stretching as he stepped on something colder than grass. A katana lay at his feet, unblemished steel, a bronze guard, and an azure wrap around the handle. Hawk-eye had retrieved a sword from the grass as well, a good twenty paces ahead of Hiro. He turned and struck a strange stance. "Shouldn't we practice with um...wooden swords or something?" He asked.

"Stop fuckin' around an' pick up the sword," he croaked impatiently.

Hiro did as he was told and tried to mimic Hawk-eye's stance. He had never even held a sword. Kami padded up to him and lowered his ears, growling at Hawk-eye. "Is this right?" Hiro asked.

Hawk-eye stood back upright, flashed the sword over his head and flung it into the ground. "Fucked if I know," he said. "You and that little hairball of yours, come at me with all you got."

Hiro was dumbstruck. "Wha-what if I hit you? I could kill you," he said. Not to mention Kami, he thought. Even if he is a better fighter than me, Kami could beat a man to a pulp, no matter how much of a 'little hairball' he is.

"You think I don't know that? If you do kill me that's all well, you'll be knighted tomorrow, and the Knights of Aurora will have a better commander. You tellin' me you don't want to hurt me after the whoopin' I gave you yesterday?"

Hiro had nearly forgotten. He gritted his teeth and became angrily awake. The spot on his ass started to ache from where he'd been kicked three times. He drew back the sword into a more comfortable position. "Here we come!"

A battle cry found its way from his gut to his throat as his feet pounded through the grass. Kami kept pace, waiting for instruction. He was about halfway and into his best swing when he was hit, hard, with something big. Wind took his feet from under him. He was sent sprawling onto his back. Only after did he hear the word, "Brave!"

The enormous Braviary was born from the night sky itself. Hiro hadn't heard it or seen it before it bowled him over. It stood proudly, a head taller than Hawk-eye, piercing Hiro with white eyes. Kami, Hiro thought, but Kami was tugging at his own tail, trying to free himself from one of Brave's talons.

Hiro sprang to his feet, "leave him alone!" he shouted, taking a swing at the big Pokemon. Brave stepped back and swatted him face-first in the dirt with a broad wing. Hiro pushed himself up again, I can't attack him directly, Kami's dead if I don't do something, he thought frantically.

"What's wrong?" Hawk-eye asked. "Lost your courage already? Fine then, Brave, attack!" he pointed at Hiro. The Braviary was on him as soon as he finished the words. Hiro barely got his sword up in time to block the massive beak. A wing scooped him up, then the Braviary spun and kicked him through the air, releasing Kami. He landed hard. Kami landed on top of him.

Brave advanced extending his wings until Hiro couldn't see anything but dark blue feathers. "Stop!" barked Hawk-eye. Brave lowered his wings and let out a sky piercing screech. "All right, all right," he strode up, scratching his Braviary under the beak. "You wanna wake the whole palace? And you, get up, I'm gonna teach you something." Hiro climbed to his feet, wet grass and dirt clinging to the side of his face. He half expected Hawk-eye to push him back into the dirt, that's how he felt.

"I'm no fighter either," he began. "I don't need to fight. When men couldn't train Pokemon, d'ya think we went out with sharp sticks to fight 'em? Take 'em all out?"

Hiro pondered the question. He had never thought about a world where Pokemon and humans lived apart.

"Of course not! Even that little brown rodent can kill a man. Fight like a man! Use your head," he said. "Now go over there and lets start again. Tell your Pokemon to fight mine, watch him, keep him out of trouble, tell him all Brave's weaknesses."

He took a few paces back then knelt down to Kami. "Okay, you're gonna fight Brave," he began.

"Heev! Vee!" Kami protested.

"Just trust me okay? Listen to everything I say. I've got a plan," he said. I hope this works, he thought.

"Ready?" Hawk-eye called to him.

"Now Kami!"

The Eevee darted forward and slammed into Brave. Barely ruffling his feathers. "Go left!" Hiro shouted as Kami leapt over a sweeping wing. "Now! While he has back turned!" Kami scrambled up Brave's back and bit one of his wings. He let go as Brave reared back, then batted him away. Kami caught himself instead of slamming into the ground. He bounded back into the fight in an instant.

"Go Brave, grab him!" Hawk-eye commanded. The Braviary snatched Kami out of midair with his talons and stomped Kami to the ground. "Hah! Not bad-"

Hiro let out another battle cry as he charged Hawk-eye again.

"Whoa, nice plan boy," Hawk-eye said, sounding genuinely impressed. Brave screeched again and gave a hard flap of his wings. Here he comes, Hiro thought as the Pokemon slammed him to his backside. "Not bad, but you'll need more training-"

"Now Kami! Go for Hawk-eye!" Brave may have been fast enough to stop Hiro, but Kami was another matter. He got to his paws and pounced at Hawk-eye.


	5. Highborn Rights

Hello everyone. This chapter didn't come easy, I view it as a little bit of a mess, but I'll let you be the judge. Could be all the dialogue, I'm not sure. So next week, I'm still feeling it out, but you might get two shorter chapters. As always reviews are always appreciated and always heard. Thanks again to the followers, you keep me writing!

**Chapter 5**

**Highborn Rights**

"The queen is furious," Tsunehisa reminded Oichi as the five of them walked toward the Pagoda. She must have been to send him to escort her. _Mother was bound to find out eventually_, she thought taking a deep breath. A blue dress adorned with cream-colored roses swept about her feet, and matching ribbons pulled her hair from her face. She hated this dress, but it was her mother's favorite.

"I've heard talk, he's nearly bested Hawk-eye," Maa chimed in. She'd insisted on Oichi's dress and on walking her to the Pagoda.

"_Ser Naoshige_was only testing him. Eevees are rare, not strong. Brave would make a meal of it if he so chose," Oichi pointed out.

"Do I detect envy in my lady's tone?" she asked giving a wry smile.

"Ugh, I can't believe you've seen him so many times. Do you know what it is like being scrubbed by Naka? She is old and crude."

Tsunehisa eyed Maa with flagrant disapproval, "the boy is a thief and a kidnapper, do you have no shame?" he asked her.

"My good ser, I have it on good word that you whored with the elite in your youth," she remarked. Tsunehisa turned red.

"I never bed a criminal," he mounted his flimsy defense.

"I recall you celebrating your 60th year wed a few months past. You are not so old my dear knight," Maa had enough gall to poke at anyone. It helped Tsunehisa was jovial enough with her.

"My lips are bound to your honor," he chuckled. As little as he cared for Hiro, he did care for Maa, and something amused him about their constant strife of wits. Maa's intellect was uncommon for a servant girl. She had seated herself as a friend to the princess and knew that Oichi wouldn't stand to let anything happen to her as long as all was fair.

Bora and Kyo trotted behind them, a blue bow tied around Bora's left ear to match Oichi's dress. "What does father have to say about this?" Oichi asked.

"The King remains neutral par usual," Tsunehisa shrugged.

"And what say you?"

Tsunehisa took a deep breath, knighthood was no matter to be taken lightly. He didn't look pleased at the question, they stopped as she watched him mull it over. Her mother be damned, but she did care what Tsunehisa had to say.

"Showing your age, dear knight?" Maa asked.

"I am highborn. My mother and father were both knights. My father's father earned his knighthood under King Aver. My mother's knighthood goes back a long time in this kingdom, the origins escape me. The boy is no fighter, he brings no sworn banners to the kingdom, no offerings of gold or farm-"

"Do you believe your family bought their knighthood?" Oichi asked, Bora tugging at her dress for attention. Oichi brushed her away, staring into Tsunehisa's honey colored eyes. Two guards crossed their path, likely headed to the palace themselves, Oichi shot them a look. "It eludes me how so many can be admitted to knighthood without reason, yet there are no exceptions for true bravery."

"Ser Takatora is the daughter of Sessai who was a fierce warrior in his day, and Ser Masakage squired under Ser Harutaka, a man said to tame dragons, and my grandfather did no such thing. He proved his loyalty in the battle of the Ravine against the Green Tyrant," he explained.

"Good. So Hiro can prove himself in time, and I aim to see he gets that time," she answered, walking briskly ahead, Maa in tow.

Tsunehisa hustled to catch them. "My lady, please. My grandfather was a war hero, in a time of war. This is peacetime. The kingdom has small need of fighting men. Aurora needs tacticians and diplomats."

"The feigned chivalry of these diplomats makes me ill," she replied, knowing Choan would be at court this morning. They reached the grand pagoda where two more guards slid the doors open for them.

"I will find you in your bed chambers after?" Maa asked.

"You're not coming in?" Oichi asked.

Maa gave her a wink to tell her she was going to see Hiro again. Oichi rolled her eyes. Why not? She would have no better time, as nearly everyone was called to court this morning to decide what would be done about Ignis. Oichi waved her away, then turned to enter the pagoda.

"My lady," Masanobu bowed. He was a skinny man under long, tied hair. Oichi had oft felt uneasy about him. The other, ser Yoshitatsu, a distant and quiet man who seemed more fascinated by the Starly flittering overhead than anything else.

They passed into the silence of the pagoda. The vast wooden room was thick-laden with spicy incense, smoking up Oichi's nose. She held back a cough and watched Norman, and his Snorlax meditating with matching scowls on their faces. Though the stories of Arceues were myth to her, most people still worshipped. She understood that spicy scents were used in times of war.

Norman was a pale man with fare muscles beneath his azure garb. His waxed head was endowed with the silver sun depicted on Aurora's banners. His face was ageless and hadn't changed much in Oichi's years at the palace. She knew there were seventeen master monks in all of Ransei. One for each nation and Norman was theirs. The seventeen monks were not aloud to aid in quarrels, nor be quarreled with in any manner. No matter the status of two nations, the master monks remained allies as the eyes of Arceues. They were said to keep back a terrible evil. Serpus the legendary dragon knight had been the only warrior to make sport of hunting them, yet even he found his way into their sermons.

Bora made a break for the Snorlax, but Oichi snatched her hand before she could get too far. "He's meditating!" she bickered a little too loudly.

"Is it true child?" Norman's high voice came so suddenly her heart leapt. Tsunehisa stopped and dropped to his knees lowering his brow to the floor at the sound of Norman's voice. He was a worshipper. "Is there truly an Eevee within Aurora palace's walls?"

Oichi noticed Norman never opened his eyes. She had been told once that true monks could sense one's presence without having to look at them. She bowed as a courtesy. "It is true, Master," she said.

"This is good fortune. The warrior's name is Hiro, is it not?" he asked.

Oichi was nonplussed. "Y-yes, Master," she stammered.

"Ohhhhhh," he sighed, before taking a deep breath, leaving her only with that. Tsunehisa rose a moment later, then gestured toward the stairs between two Arceues statues, similar to the one in her bedroom.

"Your parents await," he mentioned, as they and Bora padded quietly to and up the stairs.

"Remember, child, keep courage in your heart, and neutrality in your voice," Norman called after her.

She lifted Bora in her arms and Tsunehisa followed her ascension into an open room. It too had polished wooden floors, flooded with daylight from the walls entirely comprised of windows. They were one floor above any other structure within Aurora Palace, which sat upon a slight hill itself. They were eye-level with the clear blue sky and the jade mountains painted on the far horizon. Above them was a mosaic, comprised of colored minerals depicting Arceues, shielding a kingdom from a teal meteor, cut from a giant gemstone.

Below the meteor sat her mother, caressed up to her thin neck in a silver, silk gown that floated to the floor. Her hair was down over shoulders, and a diamond crown adorned her head. Her father, cloaked in his usual azure robe, sat proudly beside his wife, wearing with a heavier, diamond crown. Choan stood to their right, clad as a greasy plum with a silver sun brooch to pin his cape. His hair was greased back, but his eyes were dark. The ambassador's posture seemed weary. His presence placed Queen Ary in the center, as if she were the true regent of Aurora. Arceus knew she was.

Almost all of Aurora's knights knelt at the edges of the room with quill and parchment at their knees. Bora was the only Pokemon in the room. It seemed her mother would've liked to embarrass her in front of the whole palace. Surprisingly, the Queen waved her to the front of the room.

She hesitantly took her place, standing between her mother and father. _What is this? Is she going to make a spectacle of me as well?_Oichi's stomach dropped when the Queen's voice rose, "I don't believe anyone in this room needs convincing of the Emperor's wishes for peace. I...We do not want to be remembered as the regents who ended a near sixty year reign of peace in Aurora. However, Ignis-"

Hawk-eye emerged from the stairs, clad in his formal azure cape. His hair was slicked neatly back and his face was freshly free of whiskers. The Queen gestured and he took his place amongst the ranks. Ary took a deep breath and continued, "Ignis has threatened our dear daughter." Oichi felt her mother's hand clasp hers. It felt cold. She looked down at her mother. To the rest of the room her face must have been stone-faced as ever, but Oichi could feel her struggle.

"Sheer luck prevented the loss the only heir to Aurora's throne, your Princess, our beloved Oichi." Her father took her hand as well. Now she understood. Her friends weren't sent away on her birthday because of overprotection. Her parents had probably thought her dead for at least a moment. That moment must have felt like a lifetime. She suddenly felt sorry for at least some of the grief she'd been causing lately.

She explained, "As most of you are aware, Ignis has a large host. An assassination attempt is a declaration of war, but we have no intention to answer it. As your royal family, our first concern is the safety of our citizens. That is why our plan consists of aligning ourselves with our brothers and sisters of the Greenleaf and Fontaine Nations. By ourselves, we are near powerless to stop Ignis, but with this union, we seek a ceasefire long enough to build a lasting treaty with the lord of fire."

Oichi realized she should have been shocked by the lie. What else could the queen say? It had been her first impulse to meet the Ignis nation full on in battle. If Aurora should crumble, it would perish with honor and dignity defending its people. Instead, here she was making a lie for her advisor. For a scheme that would turn out to be little more than a counter assassination.

While true, this plan would protect the people of Aurora, but in order to carry it out, her mother and father would have to give up on their own codes of honor, and lie to the people they love. _Is this the price?_ she asked. _All the silks, all the gold, food, servantry, is it because we are in fact slaves to our people?_

She looked at Hawk-eye who scarcely looked back, until the Queen's speech was done. "Ser Tsunehisa will offer a message you are all to bring to the smallfolk. Let them know they are safe as long as Aurora palace stands. Peace be with you, my knights and lords." They applauded her, and the four of them bowed.

Tsunehisa had just made his way to the front of the room as they retreated up the steps to the third floor. A much less decorative hall than the first two, but immaculate nonetheless, with a circular rug all the colors of the triad, orange, azure, cerulean, and emerald. This floor too was lit by the sun. Naoshige followed moments after.

As he entered the room, he slid shut the door to the stairs. The Queen immediately turned on her, "What is it you think you are doing?"

"I don't understand," Oichi said.

"The hell you don't," she snapped. Choan's face grew long and shocked at the Queen's lack of composure. "I'll tell you what you did. You let a thief loose in our palace. You think you are going to knight him, but I will see to it he is placed back in the dungeon immediately."

"Mother," Oichi protested. _That was it? No discussion, this boy didn't even have a chance to defend himself._

"My Queen, if I may," Choan began.

"You may not," she barked, eyeing him with such fierceness. She was clearly upset with the speech she had just given.

The Emperor leaned and whispered in her ear. "No...Ordan," she protested. Sneer-grunt-flip. "Fine, you may speak," she agreed, lips tightly frowning.

Oichi was instantly offset by her willingness to speak with him and not her. Even Choan seemed thrown off for a moment, but regained composure, "My Queen," he always began with such sweetness in his tone. As much as Oichi couldn't stand him, he had truly mastered speaking to the queen. "His Highness's rule has yet to knight a member of a single new family. It is minor, but the smallfolk must be reminded of their own chances of glory, no matter how meager they may be-"

"Our first knighted certainly will not be a thief," she responded.

"Of course," Choan said, raising his hands submissively. "I would never suggest otherwise, but, My Queen, we have just announced hostile expectations from Ignis. So the boy undergoes his training, what harm could one more fighting man do?"

The room was silent, as Queen Ary mulled it over with the Emperor.

"The boy also links with an Eevee. Aurora has not seen one since, well...Master Monk Norman will have you believe Acreus, a religion to which many still subscribe. You could take the Eevee, but I doubt it will have any love for your daughter after its warrior is executed. The boy is a-"

"A beacon? Is that it? Don't you suppose some will recognize the man who stole from them?" The Queen asked, more curiously now.

"Well yes, but-"

"You've said we intend to negotiate with Greenleaf and Fontaine. We'll need at least a small host to ensure safety of the journey," Naoshige added. "Send him in that host, I will take personal responsibility," he offered. "He will be gone from the kingdom, surely long enough for the smallfolk to forget."

Choan held a finger on Naoshige and a grin parted his lips. "Yes. My good ser, you are right! This beacon of Acreus will be all the more appealing, perhaps even something to barter in negotiation which is certain to be grueling."

The Queen scoffed. "If a bargaining chip is what you seek, you need only take the prisoner in chains."

"Mother!" Oichi could hear no more. Much less give Choan the chance to agree. "If Hiro is to make this journey, he will make it as a warrior, not a prisoner."

"What right have you to command me, young lady?" the Queen grew instantly outraged. Oichi was afraid she'd just given up any chance Hiro had at survival, but she stood her ground.

"If the man who saved my life is imprisoned again, I will...I will make a miserable man of any suitor you promise my hand to," she swore.

Her mother looked wounded. Oichi felt her cheeks warm when Naoshige and Choan's gazes fell on her. Her father was the only one who remained calm at the outburst as he leaned to whisper to his wife again, stroking his beard this time.

A loud clangor broke the silence. It felt as if the very pagoda itself had taken a step. The Emperor, Choan, and Queen Ary looked at each other. Screaming rose through the floor beneath them. There was another crash.

"What's going on?" Oichi asked.

"There!" Hawk-eye pointed behind her.

Oichi turned to see bright orange flames rising just outside the window. There was yet another crash. The noise beneath them warped to shouts and stomping. A flame colored, scaly head the size of Bora rose to look in the window. It pivoted on a long slender neck, peering through her with its blue-flame eyes. It let out a terrible roar, freezing her in place.

"Look out!" Naoshige yelled, pulling her to the ground. A jet of flame shot through the windows. She hoped it missed her parents. Glass exploded into sharp dust, scattering about the floor. "A Charizard?" It started tearing away the rest of the wall, growling and snapping at her mother. Bora had floated in front of her at the last moment, swatting at the Charizard's eye.

It pulled away sharply, then shot another hot flame. Bora barely avoided it. At this rate, it would burn the whole pagoda to the ground in moments. "Brave!" Naoshige called out, ducking away from the fire.

The Charizard gave one last snap, sending Bora reeling. Then there was another crash. As if the whole building was about to give in. More glass skipped across the floor. The big fire pokemon snaked its head around. The Charizard, the rest of the wall, and part of the floor were all sucked backward and thrown crashing through a hut below.

Brave appeared, hovering in the space just after. "Go my Emperor!" Naoshige ordered. He sprinted and threw himself from the building. Naoshige dangled from brave until he swung his leg around. Not a moment too soon, as the Charizard's telltale wing beats were fast approaching.

Her father's bony hand clenched hers as he pulled her toward the stairs. The fire was closing on their only escape like deadly curtains. Her mother was waving to them, her face contorted and drenched in tears. Oichi pounced on Bora and lifted her up. They hurried down the stairs.

Her father stopped short. It was all she could do not to push him down the rest of the way. The smoke in the stairs was choking her. She pushed through, met only with terrible yowls.

Thick, grey smoke choked her vision, made her eyes water and made it harder to breathe. Tsunehisa's Persian dug its claws into a Charmeleon. A redder, smaller, wingless form of Charizard. The other knights in the room were doing their best to subdue a Pignite with whatever they could pick up and wield. Bora sprang from her to help the knights, taking the Pignite off its feet.

Oichi almost screamed out loud when she noticed the Emboar lumbering in the corner of the room. It slugged a knight to the ground. Not the way the Pignite had hit Hiro either. The knight's limp body snapped the floorboards, his face bloodied and cauterized in the same instant. He lay motionless as the Pokemon turned on her.

The Emboar readied itself. Queen Ary screamed. Oichi closed her eyes and threw her hands in front of her face. More infuriated yowls rose over the brawl. She looked to see Tsunehisa's Persian slam it's paws into the Emboar's face. The brawny fire Pokemon stumbled back, covering its eyes. She moved away, backed herself into a corner and covered her face, pleading _why me_?


	6. Honored and Unworthy

**Chapter 6**

**Honored and Unworthy**

****A warm gust whispered over the vacant training fields, with no knights or commanders to obstruct it. Hiro sat veiled by the barn's shade, recounting his past few days of relentless training. Never did he sleep so well or so quickly, yet sleep was no more plentiful than it had been the morning of Hawk-eye's test, but he could complain of little else. His arms ached from combat training, and his ankles simply wouldn't have another lap around the field. Since all of the knights were at court, he had the morning to lounge about in his practice gi.

Hesitantly, he and Kami had left the barn for some fresh air. He leaned against the wooden siding and took a deep, peaceful breath. _If they didn't want us outside, they'd lock the door, right?_ he thought, watching Kami groom. For the first time he didn't feel as though life were decided by his low birth. _If I work hard enough, I'll be a knight_. Even a few of the knights seemed to admire his enthusiasm. It was nice to be something more than a thief.

He tried not to wonder, but he asked Hawk-eye again last night, "why? why are you training me?" Hiro thought he'd misunderstood the question when he answered, "the Princess fancies your bravery, rodent. And...maybe I-" Hiro couldn't help but grin. Hawk-eye ended the thought by slugging him in the shoulder. He hadn't even minded being called rodent.

Hiro looked up at the clouds, sailing lazily across the laundered mid morning sky, grinning impishly, just as he'd grinned last night.

"Thinking of me?" Maa was making her way around the barn. Kyo scampered into Kami, rousing him from the licking session. The two Pokemon strayed into the sunlit field, playing at one another. Maa did not look a servant today. She wore an emerald gown snug on her waist but floating down to her bare feet. Her hair streamed freely in the wind, a few strands caught between her smiling lips.

She was more beautiful than Hiro was comfortable to mention. "Mayhaps," he mocked her word nervously. He enjoyed her nightly dinner visits, they hadn't yet seen each other during the day. She had quickly become his best human friend within Aurora Palace's walls.

"You do not look a thief today, Hiro," she said as if reading his mind. She swept forward, her blue eyes lighting up. She reached out for his hand, "shall we join our friends?" she suggested, referring to Kami and Kyo.

_Is she here to test me?_ he thought warily. _Hawk-eye told me not to do this_._ He sees everything_, he had come to learn. He looked up at her hand, her arm, her exposed shoulders and at her gentle swaying hair.

"Calm your nerves. The knights are at court," she said, smiling. A moment passed and her smile faded. She looked uncertain, "unless...you will me away."

Just as she was closing her hand, he reached out and clasped it. Her smile returned instantly. She led him into the sun, where Kyo and Kami were chasing one another.

His heart leapt when she hugged him suddenly. He looked around nervously, but hugged her back when he was certain they were alone. She pulled away and pushed him to his backside.

He looked up to see that she had unwrapped his white obi. She smirked, stuck out her tongue, then sprinted away, the belt streaming behind her.

"H-hey! I need that!" he laughed, rolling to his feet and giving chase. Training had worn him down, but she was quite quick.

Maa stopped a few paces ahead of him, "I have never met a knight so slow," she taunted.

"Oh yeah?" he called out, pushing himself to top speed. Maa tried to run again, but apparently hadn't counted on him being so fast. She yelped as he scooped her up from behind. They twirled to the ground, tangled in the obi. Collapsing beside her, Hiro laughed until his sides hurt.

They turned to look into each other's eyes at the same time. "You-you are kind," he said, his laugh finally coming down. "Thank you."

Maa smiled and gave a quick nod, "I know."

He had just found her hand again when a bright orange flash caught his eye. He shot upright and gazed at the Grand Pagoda. _What in Arceues name is that?_ he thought. "Do you see that?" He asked, shocked with hot panic.

She rose to her elbows and looked at what appeared to be a bright orange, winged Pokemon. A long flame streaked from it at another pokemon, colored like storm clouds.

"That's Brave!" Hiro called out, catching a glimpse of Hawk-eye clinging to his back.

"A Charizard!" Maa shouted. A column of black smoke rose from the azure pagoda. "No, an attack" she said aloud.

A crash sounded from the barn behind them. Hiro could hear a loud ruckus even from this distance. "The Pokemon!" he yelled. "The barn is on fire!" Flames were flickering in the window. By the time he turned to show Maa, she was already sprinting, full stried back toward the stone maze, Kyo tailing her.

"Kami!" he called his Pokemon to his side. _Oh no, oh no, oh no, what did I do? What do I do?_ he thought frantically.

"Heev heev!" Kami barked at him before running for the barn.

"The Pokemon," he yelled. "We have to get them out now!" He followed closely. He slammed into the wooden door. He hadn't given much thought to Maa's word, _attack_, until now. He knew he'd seen those lanterns before. Lampents were drifting about the barn, spitting hot sparks onto the wooden rafters. Lampent were ghost Pokemon disguised as wide-brimmed, black lanterns.

"Pentpentpentpentpentpent," they cackled, swinging from one end of the barn to the other on invisible ropes. A burning rafter plunged into the middle of the barn. Hay strewn about the floor sparked to life with orange flame.

The air in the barn was thick with smoke. Before long, Hiro's eyes watered, and he could hardly see Kami. He breathed through his gi, crouching low. The fires were nearing the Pokemon pens.

The Snorlax were groaning, the Persians and Meowths yowled, the Starly and Staravia were rattling the bars of their big wooden cage, and the Bidoof and Bibarels were chattering anxiously. The Snorlax pen was nearest, with a heavy wooden gate. Hiro felt his way along the thick logs. _Damn, chained shut!_ He thought. _Fight like a man,_ he told himself.

The Bibarels first. "Kami! Can you hear me?" Kami's shrill barks drowned in the deafening cacophony. "If you can hear me, get the Bibarels first!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. The Lampents must have spotted him because they started to shower him blindly with flame shots.

One punched his shoulder, instantly igniting his gi. He shed the top layer as fast as he could. The fire swallowed it as he tossed it to the floor. "Damn," he coughed. He dove behind a thin wooden wall. The Lampents' volleys knocked and ignited just on the other side. The Bibarel pen was solid steel, for obvious reasons. He didn't know how Kami could possibly free them. _Think_!

_There's a chain on the Bibarel's gate, there has to be,_ he thought. Smoke clouded the whole barn. He could only see the door he had come through, as the smoke swept out. The heavy manure shovel he was all-too familiar with rested against the frame. _That! I can break the chain with that!_ A booming sound, like thunder rolling ahead filled the barn. That's got to be Kami, trying to open the steel door. _C'mon, I don't have long before this wall burns up._

The pelting on the other side had stopped. _That's it!_ he thought. _They can't see any better than I can. They're firing blindly at the noise._ "Kami! Hit the door again!" His cries were acknowledged by another boom.

He peered around the wall. Bright yellow comets streaked through the smoke near the other end of the barn. He ran for the shovel, then back into the smoke. He couldn't see a damned thing, but he knew where the cage was. "Kami! lead them away!" he yelled, darting sideways to avoid more fist-sized fireballs.

Smoke filled his lungs. He hacked relentlessly. His hand fell on the warm steel gate. "LAMP! LAMP!" one of the attackers screeched. He wasn't sure what Kami had done, but it worked. He felt down the gate until his finger poked through one of the links. His coughing brought him to his knees. His head pounded, his undershirt clung to his chest, drenched through with sweat. _No, not now,_ he thought.

He lurched back to his feet, stumbling backward. "Raaagh!" He collapsed into a mighty swing of the shovel. Face first in the hay, he wasn't even sure he'd hit the chain.

The gate squeaked passed him. He felt the feet and heard the chatter of the stampeding Bibarel and Bidoofs. His body gave violent fits for air. His gasps were lost in his throat, and his eyes burned. The fires circled in.

Something big picked him up. He was too limp to fight it away as it carried him back toward the door. The Snorlax laid him on his back in the cool grass. The winds that had been warm were now cool and lifegiving. He took greedy breaths of sweet air. When he could see again, Kami was standing over him, licking his face. The barn was a plume of smoke in the near distance. Before him was an army, of Pokemon.

Starly, Staravia, Persians, Meowths, Bidoofs, Bibarels, Cincinos, Mincinos, Snorlax, and Kami were all looking at him. _What are they waiting for?_ he thought. _It's almost like-_he pointed in the direction of the barn. Every pokemon turned to see. "Umm...speak?" he said. The Pokemon let out deafening cries. Hiro had to cover his ears. _They're listening to me,_ he thought.

Kami latched onto his ear and pulled his head toward the smoking Pagoda. _Right!_ he thought. His work was only half over.

"To the pagoda!" he cried, climbing to his feet. A Snorlax lifted him onto its shoulder. They stampeded into the stone maze. The Starly and Staravia, fluttered ahead, the Meowths and Persians stalked up and down huts and walls, the rest scampered beneath the feet of the Snorlax.

The Charizard came crashing through another hut like catapult fodder. Brave fluttered in close. Hawk-eye, hair and cape streaming shouted from his back, "Hiro?" He looked as though he might fall of his Pokemon. Kami took his chance to ascend the Snorlax and perch on Hiro's shoulder.

"They burned the barn down! Lampents!" He shouted over Brave's crackling flaps.

"Damn! Head to the Pagoda, I'll meet you there!" He shouted, soaring off with the flock.

Two men dressed in Aurora plate rounded the corner just ahead. They looked lost. When they set eyes on Hiro's host, they set to running back in the other direction. "S-stop them!" He shouted.

Three Persians chased them back around the corner, each with their own fiendish grins. A Bidoof and a Cincino ran ahead to meet the Persians. The five Pokemon started brawling. What is going on here? He thought, watching the two warriors command their companions against the Persians.

The Snorlax lumbered onward. A pack of Bibarels flanked the two warriors and slammed them against the wall, then turned on their Pokemon. _These two are Aurora and Ignis soldiers?_ He wondered. He did not understand. "Capture them," he commanded, advancing up the palace streets toward the Pagoda.

Brave and Hawk-eye darted overhead, slamming a huge hole in the second tier. Debris rained down on Hiro. Smoke spewed outward. Hiro could see the majority of the knights engaged in a flustered melee. A red charmeleon came tumbling down into the pack of Pokemon breaking into the ground tier.

A snap sounded as the wooden wall collapsed. Aurora Palace's Pokemon funneled in, roaring, chattering, squawking, and Hiro stayed watching the fray above. As the Pokemon overtook the second floor, the figures of two women and a man, swam up from the smoke.

Ragged, charred and scared to death, Princess Oichi stared down at _him_. The Emperor and the Queen stood next to her, holding each other. Even as the queen turned to her daughter and embraced her, Princess Oichi's emerald eyes, never left him.

Not knowing what else to do, he met her gaze, gave a smile and a real Knight's salute.

From the second floor of the broken Pagoda, Hiro heard the Emperor's voice for the first time. It rang out over the Pokemon and troops alike. Starly would flock to Greeleaf and Fontaine with messages, preceding the host to follow seeking alliance against Ignis. Preparations were to be made tomorrow, and the march was to begin the following day.

A feast was held that night, beneath the stars. Long tables had been raised around a raging fire in the training fields. The blackened remains of the barn overlooked the warriors and Pokemon alike. Pale moonlight and warm torches set the feast aglow.

The affair started slow, everyone still in shock about the loss of some knights and the ambush, but as the wine flowed, spirits rose quickly. Hiro worried subtly about when he would see Maa again, now that the barn had burned down, but it was hard to be downtrodden in such merry company.

The Snorlax he'd ridden turned out to be ser Chiyo's. She'd been eyeing him all evening, more adoringly with each emptied cup of wine. Ser Bardman was one of the first people to ask Hiro how he mobilized the Pokemon in the barn, and was now shouting his own glorious version of the story to everyone. Ser Reval had been in his ear all evening about sparring his Cincinno with Kami. Hiro laughed so much, it was the second time today his body fought for air. A tap on his shoulder whirred him around.

A man with a wrap around the middle of his face looked down at him. "I didn't recognize you without your mask," Hiro said. The man had dark hair and silt whiskers to match the streaks on his head. This was the knight whose nose he broke escaping from the dungeon.

"I'dda broke yer nose too, but seein' as you saved my ass I figure we're even," he said clapping him on the shoulder. "Ser Takanobu, of the farmlands."

"Heh," Hiro laughed nervously. "Sorry about the barrel thing too."

Takanobu lifted his eyes and scratched his bandages. "Rel, biba," his Pokemon chimed in.

He said, "yeh, okay. Guess yeh gave me the slip twice eh?" Before he could say more, Princess Oichi herself pushed through the rabble behind him. She was half laughing, enjoying the celebration quite a bit.

Her face had been properly cleaned and powdered of course. Hiro now saw it was her dress Maa had borrowed. "Oh! Princess," Takanobu said, bowing away. Hiro felt all the knights gazes fall on them as she gave a polite bow to Takanobu.

She turned back to Hiro and grew politely formal. "I have yet to give proper thanks, Hiro."

The knights at the table started whooping and pounding their cups. "Umm...I should be thank-" he started to say.

"You have twice saved my life, and the lives of many here. For that, I offer the gratitude of the royal family, and this," she gestured and stepped sideways. The crowd parted for two pink gowned servant girls, neither of them Maa. Each presented him with gifts.

The first was holding a fine, white silk shirt and a black, gold, and red threaded cape. He took the shirt, letting it flow over his fingers. Pleasurable to his hands, he could only imagine howit felt to wear such clothes. Hiro's eyes grew wide at the second gift. It was a gold and black enameled set of armor. A fierce Kabuto grinning with golden horns, matching shoulder pauldrons and bracers.

He found himself trapped in her eyes, unable to speak. She said, "what you have done brings great honor to the royal family. Will you accept these gifts as tokens of our gratitude?" She asked.

How could he not? "Y-yes," he said.

Princess Oichi bowed, then sent the serving girls away. She turned back to Hiro, a little less formal now. Taking a look at the other knights around the table she asked with a mischievous smile, "I find the company at the royal table rather droll, might I hide amongst you?"

The knights all roared with Reval scooted over and Oichi took a seat next to Hiro. A cup of wine came sliding down the table to her and Ser Bardman rang out again, "My Princess, might you like to hear how Hiro tamed a whole army of Pokemon?"

She gave Hiro a smile, "of course!" As Ser Bardman told the story for the hundred-and fiftieth time, Hiro was impressed by how immodest Princess Oichi could be. Her Jigglypuff floated about the table, excitedly spilling over cups avoiding Kami trying to chase her away. It wasn't long before yet another visitor tapped him on the shoulder.

Hawk-eye bellowed over the crowd, "'Ow about this one here boys! I taught him y'know!" He ruffled Hiro's hair as the knights cheered again. "I need to talk to you, boy," he whispered with slight urgency. "I owe this boy a rematch, I won't rough him up too bad!" he shouted as Hiro got up.

Kami turned just then and bounded after them, scampering up on his shoulder. Oh no, Hiro's stomach fell._ He knows about Maa, visiting me-and we were-_. An eternity passed as they weaved around knights and their Pokemon, couples dancing and loudly clad singers and fiddlers, dancers and stewards carrying food, until they walked the outskirts of the glowing feast near the west wall.

It was small wonder Brave was nowhere in sight. Nervous sweat made him feel sticky as he trotted a few paces behind Hawk-eye. He turned suddenly, the fire catching half his face. Hiro flinched, expecting a hit. "You'd think I beat you, rodent," he grumbled.

"Commander," Hiro bowed. "I-I'm sorry, for the serving girl," he admitted. Hawk-eye cocked a blank look. "That's not why you brought me out here?"

"Maybe if you hadn't done what you did today. After that, I don't care who or what you fuck," Hawk-eye answered. Hiro slipped into cool relief. "Now hold on there. I've got somethin' more important to tell you."

As much as Hiro wanted to listen, he eagerly wanted to get back to the feast. "Sorry, I wanted to talk to the Princess. Thank her for getting me out of the dungeon, you know?" Hiro said, starting to walk away.

"That's what I wanna tell ya, boy," he said hurriedly. Hiro turned back around. "These knights, they're good folk. They're highborn folk. Not like you an' me, an' they know it."

Hiro was interested now, "Wait-" he started. "You're _not_ highborn?"

Hawk-eye answered, "look at me, sand-skin, my eyes, I'm a foreigner, a drifter, like you. That don't amount to nothin' 'round here."

Hiro was dumbfounded. "You're a commander, the knights all love you-" he protested.

Hawk-eye nodded slowly, "Yeah that's right! A commander, because I'm fuckin' good at what I do. A commander, not a general, lord of nothin' but my own ass and the pittens they pay me. Long as I can fight I got a home, when I'm old nobody's gonna remember Naoshige here. An' the same goes for you. Them royals'll use yeh until you got no life left in yeh."

"Whoa." Hiro just couldn't believe this from Hawk-eye. "It's not like that, Princess Oichi's not-"

"The Princess is warring with her mother, an' she's usin' you to get at her," Hawk-eye said. He swept Hiro under his arm, while he mulled it over. "I'm tellin' yeh this because I-yeh just remind me of someone," he explained looking up at the stars. "This campaign we're goin' on, to Greenleaf an' Fontaine, they wanna send you. I had to beg 'em not to send you in chains. That advisor they got, he's no good. But if you ask me, they aint no better for listenin' to him."

_It is all possible_, he thought. Hawk-eye was a lot of things, but no liar. He roughed him up a little bit, but Hawk-eye had taken his training as a personal matter. He might be the only person Hiro could trust, and that meant a lot. "I-I don't understand. What should I do?" he asked.

He checked to see if there was anyone in earshot. "This campaign. I've been around, an I know Greenleaf's not gonna agree to anything without a little persuasion. The loot's sure to be worth it. Then off to Fontaine, negotiate, we all get paid. After that I planned on leaving, but I'll take you with me. You've got talent boy, that can get you far in this world. Not here though, these people don't care 'bout nothin' other than who yer daddy was."

Hiro used to spend a lot more time thinking about that. He'd never met his father, and his mother was a drunken barmaid who threw him away when he was four, about the time he met Kami. It's so unfair, he thought bitterly. He turned to walk away again, then turned back to Hawk-eye stone-faced, struggling not to think about his parents.

He extended an arm. "Thank you Hawk-eye," he said as they shook hands.

"That's a nice set of armor they gave you, but it aint blue," he said.


	7. Nowhere to run

**Hey all,**

**I apologize for the late upload. I had sort of a mental lapse this week and took a couple of days off from life itself. Naturally I was a little behind. Thank you for your patience. Here is the next chapter, next update is on 9/10/12 because I have a special event to attend next thursday. Enjoy, and as always, feedback is much appreciated.**

**Chapter 7**

**Nowhere to run**

Every thundering footstep, shattering voice and piercing chirp of the Pokemon outside made Hanbei's eyelids flutter and his heart leap. It was torment. Torment for plotting against his kingdom, against the family he swore to serve, against his friend to be sure. Tomo jumped into his lap. It hurt. Each prod of his little feet lingered until he forgot why it hurt in the first place.

Simply keeping his eyes open drained the life from him, yet his desk was an unmade bed of papers screaming for his attention. _Quiet_! He thought back to them. His fingers ran over Tomo all by themselves. _How long have I been here_, he wondered. _He'd forgotten precisely how to stand_.

Afternoon light poured into his bedchambers, lighting up the black ink. _This host is a tumor_, he thought bitterly. "Is this my punishment?" he asked Tomo. Electricity jumped between his fingertips as his Pikachu gave him a concerned glance. "I'm to pay the host I'm to march to their deaths?"

Footsteps sounded behind him. _I didn't even see the door open_! he panicked, blood rushing to his throat. He spun around to find he was alone. Satisfied, he turned back to his papers. The cushion of his chair became a bag of stones as he writhed upright. With a second wind he picked up the wages for the soldiers.

Then he lifted his accounts. _Thank Arceues I was born rich_, he thought. As he lowered the paper the golden lampent charm sent a chill down his spine. _Has that been here the whole time_, he wondered. It had been nearly a week since he'd seen Kanbei. _What if I just didn't go the next time he summoned me_. "What if we thought of a different way to fix these troubles?" he asked Tomo.

A boot stamped the floor behind him. He whipped around, drenched in molten sweat. Still, he was alone. _Where are you hiding!?_ he thought madly, jolting upright. Tomo went rolling under the desk. The knocking sounded again, bringing his eyes to the window.

A grey Starly with a leather satchel fastened around its neck perched just outside. It stretched its wings, pecking impatiently as he shuffled over to let it in. The cool high winds and stinging sunlight were as close to joy as he'd been in ages.

He unlaced the satchel and retrieved the parchment inside. The Starly fluttered to his shoulder as he broke the seal. "Ah," he remembered. He slid coins from his pocket to replace the parchment and wrapped it back around the Pokemon. Without looking back, it pounced back out the window, letting the wind carry it away.

Drifting back over to his chair, he unrolled the message. His eyes widened. "That seed has grown," he announced as Tomo climbed back into his lap. He had to laugh. It was such beautiful relief.

The letter contained the coin rates for the triad nations. Ignis money had grown so weak, they would need an Emboar to haul a cart of coins to purchase bread. Fontaine's marks had near tripled since he'd last laid eyes on the figure. "I would love to see Gakusha's face now."

Gakusha was the Ignis historian, an intelligent man to be sure. When the rebels rose up in Fontaine, Hanbei advised lord Pyre to invest in Fontaine gold. Gakusha advised against it. In the end, the older man's wisdom had been trusted. Hanbei however, bet a great deal against King Aqi. The man had been a fool and a natural loser. Hanbei rubbed his hands together, grabbed his quill and a fresh parchment.

He scrawled out a withdrawal in Ignis marks for two months pay for the whole army. He drew out half that value in Fontaine marks as well. _Cartfulls of Ignis marks simply won't do for bribes_, he thought. A sigh lifted the stress from his sore shoulders. He stroked Tomodachi under the chin with a weak smile. "I might sleep tonight."

Hideyoshi had somewhat different plans for him though. Yesterday he'd asked private consultation of him. He pat Tomodachi on the rear to rouse him, then faced his mirror. Staring back at him was a gangly man, several years his senior with plaster skin and bruised eyes, yet somehow it was him. He ran his fingers through his hair, until he gave up and donned his yellow cap. He forgot to wave Tomo to follow him, but he still did.

_Lock the door,_ he reminded himself. Hanbei paced down the hallway to Lord Pyre's bed chamber. Much to his dismay, Hideyoshi was not waiting outside for him. He would have to go inside. He straightened himself out, took a deep breath, gave Tomo a nod, then rapped the door politely. "Eh…hugh-hugh-ter," His Lord's labored voice came from inside.

"Enter, Hanbei," Hideyoshi's voice came after, sounding bold as ever.

Hanbei pushed the door inward to a broad room in which four of his own could fit. The room was dim, silhouetted against the window hidden somewhere behind everything else. A grumbling to his left surprised him. The Lord's black Charizard stood in the corner, its neck fixedly craned with old age, it's tail a distant glow of how other warriors spoke of it.

The walls of the room were graciously adorned with paintings and vases much like the one Nagayasu had broken. Of all the paintings, Hanbei found the portrait of Lord Pyre most eye catching. His mane of shimmering jet, narrow jaw lined with mature ashen whiskers, and blood-ruby eyes burning from their sockets made him an intimidating man. Above the bed, Hanbei noted a purple lantern with long, black, twisted rods holding smoky curtains over the bed.

Hideyoshi knelt at his father's bedside, he had yet to acknowledge Hanbei. He was whispering something, finishing a thought hurriedly. _What are they saying?_ he wondered. The bed held Lord Pyre's lifeless body, bagged in flaming red silks. He scarcely spoke these days, but always seemed to respond to knocks at the door. The healers deduced he was somewhere between awake and asleep. Now he did not look so fierce. His jet mane had grown thin and ragged, his whiskers wild and unkempt, and his fire eyes smoldering behind his eyelids. Hideyoshi rose, sniffled and turned around.

Hanbei instantly softened. The young lord's eyes were red and raw, his mouth stretched to a broad frown. "My Lord," Hanbei said, sweepig forward. He hugged Hideyoshi, who began to cry.

"Come-come," Hideyoshi said, pulling away, leading them out of the room. Closing the door softly behind them, he said, "he has not spoken to me for days now. Should I have let the assassins take him? Surely it would've been better than his suffering."

Hanbei resisted the urge to shrug as they walked away. "Your father has seen now, his son is grown enough to rule. Lord Pyre's soul can rest easy knowing his kingdom is in capable hands," Hanbei offered.

They made their way into the main room, where Osu was waiting for them, looking nearly as dreary as his warrior. Tomodachi skittered forward to chatter with him. Hideyoshi folded his legs and sat in the middle of the circular room. Hanbei could see nothing but sorrow in him. "We will convene here my lord?" he asked.

Hideyoshi gave a slight nod. "I wish to confide in you privately, my friend," he said. The words 'my friend' were like needles in his ears.

Hanbei took a spot next to him to listen. "We can convene at a later hour, when your mind is well," he suggested.

"No, please," Hideyoshi stopped him, wiping his tears. It could have been his casual blue and red silks, or neatly slicked hair, but Hideyoshi seemed much tamer than he had a week ago atop the palace. "My mother and I have...come together...on the matter of Fontaine's assassination attempt. However, I know what my father would have done.

"My lord father would have blood for this. He has always kept his people safe by making others feel threatened. He never bows to force, regardless of casualties, and with our host, there is no question we could win the day against a newly reformed Fontaine," he explained.

_Lord Pyre has_ never _thought of the casualties_, Hanbei thought, remembering the woman being raped behind the tavern while the Ignis watch did nothing at all. To his credit, this assassination was the first attack on Ignis land in nearly fifteen years.

"My mother, would have me march on Greenleaf. Our treasury is poor, that's not to say Emperor Motonari would accept money to enter a war besides. The emperor is completely driven to protect his people, and when faced down with our massive ranks and advantageous fire-type Pokemon, he won't resist our demands for aid."

Hanbei nodded, _with our sheer numbers and Greenleaf's grass-type Pokemon_, _Fontaine could be overrun with few casualties. Brilliant woman_. Kanbei instantly came to mind. _What would he think of this plan?_

"Hanbei," Hideyoshi said, staring at him. "I want your advice before I make a decision. My father has built a certain rapport with our neighboring nations. My reign will be a peaceful one if I follow in his footsteps. However, there is no doubt my mother's plan is more sensible. The people of Ignis have no love left for my father, I do not wish to rule in the same manner he has. You are my oldest friend, and closest advisor, what should I do?"

Hanbei froze up and started to sweat. The decision was in his hands now, this was his way out. He could tell Hideyoshi to march on Fontaine and let Lady Pyre be. Kanbei would be satisfied. Hideyoshi lowered his eyes to the floor. _What will happen to him if Aurora wins the day. I have no doubt Kanbei has done something equally atrocious to provoke them_. In his limited contact with her, Queen Ary had the mercy of a Weavile and was just as icy. Emperor Ordan had little courage to muster against his wife.

"Your father is bedridden and drunken with fever," Hanbei offered. He smiled, hoping to cheer him up, "Your lady mother is beloved for more than just her bounties." Hideyoshi beamed at him. His chest fluttered, wondering if he'd crossed a line. Most times he welcomed such humor.

Hideyoshi sprayed a chuckle. "Horny bastard," he said, trying visibly to fight off a grin. "That's my mother, have you no shame?" he asked.

"More than you know, my lord," Hanbei bowed. _Maybe I can do this my way. Hideyoshi is conflicted. He is losing his father, small wonder his tempers are short_. "Your mother's advice is my own," he said finally.

Hideyoshi seemed somewhat relieved. He looked up at the ceiling and gave a short nod, then rose to his feet. "I must have a Starly sent to Fontaine then," he declared.

Hanbei's smile faded, "what fo-er with what message?"

"Fontaine is just passed a bitter rebellion. One Ignis was meant to take part in, alongside King Aqi. The assassinations may not have even been part of this usurper's rule. They could simply have been a self-acting group of bitter soldiers, loyal to the late king."

Hanbei could barely control his urge to scream, "wise, my lord," he uttered, rising from the floor.

"Thank you, my friend," Hideyoshi said, bowing. Hanbei returned the bow stiffly, but gave no welcomings. "Come Osu," Hideyoshi called as he left Hanbei alone in cold contemplation.

His first thoughts were to run. There would be no way he could get to Nagayasu, explain this new circumstance and organize some pursuit of the Starly before it reached the border. What could he say of Hideyoshi's new plan? How cooperative would the captain be if he knew he wasn't going to ascend the throne as promised?

Fontaine would surely send a Starly back, and follow it with an ambassador if this usurper was any sort of governor. Hanbei dashed to the stairs, Tomo sprang after him. He stopped. Tomo bumped into his leg._ Don't act suspicious now_, he thought. He took a deep breath and descended the stairs.

In minutes he swept across the training grounds. Black ash swirled up around his feet as he covered the slight decline of the walled fields. The air was dry and hot, it appeared there was still life in the old volcano after all.

Nagayasu and his Emboar traipsed along a broad expanse of soldiers and Pokemon, squaring off uniformly. Hanbei now concluded that the field was heated by the firebreath of thousands of Ignis Pokemon. He must have looked very nervous because Nagayasu looked to see if anyone else was watching them. He hustled to meet Hanbei halfway, his Emboar in tow.

"What are you doing here, boy?" he asked. "Why you lookin' like death?"

"They call it work I reckon," Hanbei shot back hurriedly.

"If you've come out here to insult me, I'm gonna beat you in front of the entire Ignis watch," he grunted. The Emboar knocked its fists together, readying itself to flatten Tomo.

"Listen to me," Hanbei said, sweeping abreast him, leaning in close. "Hideyoshi is sending a Starly to Fontaine about the attack. They're going to find out we staged it-"

"You mean find out you staged it. I'm captain of the Ignis watch, I stomp scum, even little scum," he said eyeing Hanbei. "You'll die alone for this," he pointed out.

"Observant as ever," Hanbei heckled him. "Don't strain yourself my dear captain."

Nagayasu gave him a shove, "you get the fuck out of here before we make good on that beating," he said, starting to walk away.

"Wait!" Hanbei called. "I can pay you."

Nagayasu loved money almost as much as he loved food. "There's no price that can stop that Starly," he offered.  
"You're right," Hanbei could tell that pleased him. "But you can stop the return Starly, then the ambassador that follows, can't you?"

"Kill an ambassador?" he asked. "Even if you had the coin for that, it would take cart upon cart of Ignis marks just to keep people's mouths shut."

"How about one cart of Fontaine coin?" he asked.

Nagayasu raised a brow at that. "You're kicking my Tepig. You don't have it," he scoffed, turning away again. Hanbei darted in front of him.

"Oh I do. You can have your own cart if you can manage this," he offered with a wide grin.

"And say I can't?" he asked.

"I say nothing for my loyalty, but Lord Hideyoshi is a friend to me. I will tell him of your treason with my dying breath and I promise we will burn alongside one another. The young lord's trust is fragile, he will burn you and the officers under you just from sheer fright. Your choice, a cart of gold, and eventually the kingdom, or the noose," Hanbei said.

Nagayasu eyed him for a while. Hanbei had expected a quick retort, Pig-face never responded well to threats. Admittedly, he was too tired to place them with proper tact. Then the portly man started to nod. "Fine! I know exactly who I'll pick for this. They won't ask no questions that can't be answered with money. When I'm lord of Ignis, I'm going to make you my fool," he said. "You miss that payment, and all Lord Hideyoshi will get is your head and a story," he threatened, turning on his heels and walking back to his troops.

Everything was in order. Hanbei had gotten the scare of his young life, but he handled it. He sent the Starly out with the withdrawal, it would be here in a few day's time the latest. The troops would be paid, Nagayasu would be bribed and then some, and Hideyoshi would be free to march on Greenleaf. Most freeing of all, Hanbei did not have to curse his friend into killing his own mother.

Hanbei had dressed down to yellow, loose fitting cotton. He snuffed the torches in his room with excited haste, peeled back the silk sheets of his bed and slipped comfortably beneath them. Tomo leapt up to the bed and snuggled up to him. For a few moments he chuckled joyously at the thought of going to sleep. The last few days had all blended into one long, painful, and infinitely tiresome day. This secret life of mine is nearly at rest, he thought, closing his eyes.

His arm beneath his pillow was as sharp as a blade in his ear. He adjusted himself. Tomo's body was so warm, too warm. He pushed his Pokemon away, and rolled over. By the time he had done this, his pillow had grown warm and undesirable. He roused and flipped it over. So did his tossing and turning ensue for countless minutes. Then there were boot-steps at the foot of his bed. _Who could be sending me a Starly at this hour?_ He thought. He ignored it, but the footsteps continued, stomping around, then stopping right behind him. The hairs on his neck bristled. He wanted to roll over, but fear held him tight. He was scared to breathe, scared to do little more than lie perfectly still. _There's someone in here with me_, he thought.

His mouth went dry as sand. His eyelids flung open. "Tomo!" he croaked. "Tomo!" his voice sounded. The Pokemon didn't answer. He felt behind him for his friend, reaching farther and farther until his fingers slipped from the edge of the bed. Tomo wasn't there. He swallowed hard. His heartbeat rang in his ears.

Working up the last bit of courage, he rolled over slowly. There was nothing but his empty desk, set aglow by the faint moonlight. Tomodachi had always been a heavy sleeper, perhaps he scuttled off to sleep elsewhere when he shoved him away. Hanbei drew in a few deep breaths. Satisfied, he rolled back over.

A cold steely claw seized his neck. A deep throated, inhuman roar rattled every bone in his body. Kanbei stood over him. The Dusknoir eye floated madly in the center of his face, with that same twisted smile. "LADY PYRE MUST DIE!" The screech filled him with terror.

He tried to scream, but the grip let little through but choked words. "Tomo! Tomo!" he pleaded, utterly voiceless. The face leaned in closer to him, "KILL HER KILL HER KILL HER!" the creature growled, louder with each word.

Hanbei tried to fight him off. Long bowed arms like spider legs, rose from beneath his bed and held him down. Kanbei drew back, retrieving a twisted metal spike from his robe. "KILL HER! KILL HER!" it screamed louder. It plunged the knife into his heart.

Hanbei thrust upward in his bed, panting and sweating ice. Tomo writhed from the sheets, "Pika! Pipiii-" he said, grabbing his arm. _A nightmare?_ he thought.


	8. Reliance

**Chapter 8**

**Reliance**

The dawn broke through the blackened Pagoda, jutting from the grey maze like some broken rotten tooth. Oichi had been late to retire to her chambers. Good fortune at that because sleep never came. That Emboar and cowering in the corner assaulted her thoughts, a sufficient blockade for sleep. The two men Hiro captured were spies indeed, but they had been members of the Aurora guard for many years. Ser Yoshitatsu's family had been so long faithful to the royal family it was difficult to believe him an Ignis sleeper. She fretted, if she should sleep, someone would see to it she never woke.

She stood just outside her chamber, watching the sun ascend the pale sky. The morning chill filled her cream-silk gown, inflating her to twice the size. Bora, cradled in her arms, remained content and tranquil for now. She'd fought boldly yesterday. _Why can't I be so bold?_ Oichi asked herself. _I am grateful, but why must Naoshige or my mother or Hiro come to my aid. My father was fierce in his day, I am his daughter and a born warrior myself aren't I?_ she pondered, running her fingers over Bora's peachfur coat.

A warm fist pushed into her hip. Tsunehisa's persian nuzzled against her gown. "Siiaan," it purred. Oichi looked down the corridor to her left, the old knight rounded the corner just then, all in blue mail with his masked helm over his eyes. He stopped before her, giving a polite bow.

"My Princess. What rouses you so early?"

She almost told him of her fright, but no, real warriors were not so afraid. Tsunehisa came closer to death than anyone else yesterday, here he was now, dutifully patrolling. Stroking the Persian, she looked through his helm. "Your pokemon is so strong, your bond too fierce even to leave him in the barn like the rest..."

Tsunehisa said, "My family has raised Pokemon for generations. All born warriors, even my sisters, Arceues bless their souls. This one is young, I found my match late in life, lucky for me. Though I fear he will outlive me." He knelt to scratch his Persian beneath the chin. It was hard to imagine life without Bora, or what exactly Bora would do without _her_. It was cumbersome to have her around, admittedly there were times she took it for granted.

"Emboars are fierce, usually deadly to Persians," she began.

"All due honor, my lady. Battle is as much strategy as strength. Otherwise an old Stantler like me would've hung up his cloak years ago." He stared up at her until a smile crept across his face. "I have been your sworn shield since you were a babe, Oichi. I know when something irks you," he pointed out, rising. _Such a sweet man_, she thought. _Always caring for others._

"I took patrol because sleep eludes me as well," he said after a lengthy enough silence. "Today we must prepare for the march into Greenleaf."

It _was_ to be an eventful day. Her parents would want her at court to learn the preparations for war. She wondered if there could be a way to avoid it. "Do you suppose Greenleaf will heed our call?" she asked.

He fingered the furls of his long beard and hummed, "Emperor Motonari is peace loving, that much is true. Greenleaf has been neutral of conflict through near all of history. Tis their forest that protects them. Singers say the Jade Sea devours warrior and Pokemon alike, sprouting mighty oaks from their corpses. I say that is enough to keep most away.

"It is not a land bounteous of gold, but they enjoy their farms. Motonari could be persuaded by sufficient coin. I hear Lord Choan plans to spin yarns of an imposing threat from Ignis. Tis not my place to play politics, my lady. I serve my royal family."

Arceues, she hated Choan. That man was so vile a creature, she never understood why her parents let his slimy tongue slither its way into their counsel. "Choan's charm is certain to win the day," she declared dryly.

Tsunehisa's face remained stiff, but she could tell he enjoyed that. "I am not supposed to tell you, so heed your parent's counsel this morning and play the fool," he said. "I have convinced the Emperor and Queen that you should represent the royal family in negotiation. I fear it will get you no further from Choan, but you will march with the host, first to Greenleaf, then to Fontaine."

The words warmed her ears and heart like the bright morning sun. This was all she could hope for and more. A quest, like the stories she'd heard as a child. Her face lit with smile, she dropped Bora to throw her arms around him, nearly taking him off his feet. She pecked him on the cheek. "Thank you, by Arceues, thank you," she chirped.

"You have grown older and much too heavy for this," he laughed, hugging her to keep balance. When she pulled away his face turned the color of dawn. Bora puffed herself up, angry for being dropped. Oichi scooped her up again.

"Make sure you go to court this morning, do not be late," he warned. "Her Grace grows impatient with you by the day. I bid you leave for now my lady," he declared, walking away.

"You have my thanks, Tsunehisa," she called.

He answered, "Your safety is my duty and thanks," without looking back.

Filled with anticipation, Oichi tracked down the first serving girl she could find, which so happened to be Naka, and sent for Maa immediately who arrived at her chambers moments later, half asleep, but with hands full of brush, bath and garments. "My lady is dreadfully restless this morning," she groaned, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Her hair askew and eyes puffy, Maa could deal with a little pampering herself, Arceues knows how much wine she'd had the previous night. Even her pink serving gown was wrinkled and tired. Kyo rolled in behind her, not much more a pleasant sight.

"Your hair tells of a night in Hiro's quarters?" Oichi asked with a Mincino smile.

"Scarcely," Maa squawked. "I did not see him since before running to your aid. I would've liked to after dinner, but it is hardly courteous to do so before the whole guard. I am not the princess after all," she said, dampening a cloth.

Oichi turned red. "I supped beside him to honor his bravery."

"Oh? Hiro is very near our age," Maa said, turning to her with a faint smile.

Oichi balked at her, then realized what she was getting at, "Ser Naoshige is the man I pine for."

"Yes, indeed," she agreed, taking her place behind her to start brushing. At first she thought Maa sounded a touch envious, but now it seemed as if she'd just as soon pawn Hiro off on her, if it meant she wouldn't pursuit Hawk-eye. Another conversation for another time, Oichi shook the thought from her mind, remembering why she'd hurried Maa in the first place.

"Maa, I have grand news from Tsunehisa!" she yelped excitedly, watching Kyo grapple Bora into the bath. "I am to march with the host to Greenleaf, then to Fontaine!"

"Oh? You will be missed," She responded, matter-of-fact.

"Maa. I cannot take such a journey without my best handmaid and friend," Oichi turned, pulling her hair from Maa's grasp, who looked blank.

She countered hesitantly, "The-the will to leave the palace is yours, not mine, Oichi."

Oichi had not expected this. _What convincing does she need? On the road we could be more friends than Princess and handmaid._ "Hiro is to be part of this host, however small a part, but you could see one another privately, and beneath the stars. Romantic I daresay," she said, expecting Maa to prick right up. But she didn't.

"My place is here," she said, eyeing the corner of the room._ Is she seeing another man? Does she fear the forest? Tsunehisa did say it eats people._ Maa looked up when Oichi took her hands. "Please Maa, what will you do here without Hiro nor I to keep you company? Tend the other whining maidens? You must trust me on this, please do not make me command it as your Princess," Oichi offered gazing deeply into her blue eyes.

Maa threw her head back and sighed, as if recounting something. She looked back at her with a broad grin, "If my lady is ordering me a personal leave, I suppose I truly need it," she agreed. Still, a slight waft of hesitation remained, but Oichi was certain Maa would enjoy herself once they had left. She recalled how eager and gidee she was when she asked to borrow her dress to visit Hiro. Surely that excitement had not faded.

Maa was a foreign girl, Oichi knew. They spent the morning talking of Fontaine and all of its beauty. She had been there as a child, passing through on her way to be traded to Emperor Ordan as a handmaid. Oichi spent the whole morning preparing for court, readying to behave before her mother. Maa took extra care to powder away the dark rings beneath Oichi's sleepless eyes and unfold her haggard hair. They dressed her in a plum dress with frosted lace binding the front and back from waist to ankle. Her hands were wrapped in long cream colored gloves, up to her elbows. They tied Bora around the "waist" with a plum colored bow.

By the time Maa was done, she'd nearly be late. Bound and powdered like a doll she strode hurriedly to the grand council in the shadow of the broken pagoda. She arrived just as Naoshige sauntered up in his black flight suit and goggles. Curious he always preferred it to azure plate. They approached the mighty oaken doors twice her height and two hands thick. He pushed open the heavy door with a light smirk and led her through a polished wooden hall. Bora hovered to the next door, Oichi and Naoshige followed wordlessly.

The next room was plainly adorned save for the table grander in length and width than even the large doors to the grand council. Its sheen reflected the faces of the lords sitting around it, staring at the pair as they entered. Windows in only the back of the room facing due east allowed light for only half the day. In the four corners of the room sat the withered Kabutos of past Emperors.

Naoshige took his place at the table next to Choan, who wore a loose white-silk shirt and a rust vest. The Queen at the head of the table wore a flattering lavender wrap encrusted with topaz, and her usual crown. To her right robed in a rainbow cloak and crowned with Aurora's white diamonds the Emperor sat with a face stern as ever. Ser Takanobu, Ser Chiyo, and Ser Reval were all present and in mail and cloak, the latter eyeing Naoshige in his form fitting flight suit and dandelion sash. Fogscarf, Ser Reval's Cinccino stood behind him, its long, fine hair sweeping the floor. Sharpdent the Bibarel sat squat against the opposing wall lingering somewhere between wake and sleep, and finally Chiyo's Snorlax had somehow made it through the doors to loom behind its warrior. Oichi had good notion to believe that Brave and Tsunehisa's Persian weren't far away either. They certainly would not be caught with breeches around their ankles again.

Oichi and Bora took seat to the left of her mother who paid her a stern look of acknowledgement. "This is the eve of our march into Greenleaf, sers," the Queen announced. "Make no mistake, this is to be a peaceful engagement-" There were nods of agreement all around. Choan searched the surface of the table idly. "Bearing that in mind, Emperor Motonari will either heed the Starly we sent, or he will mobilize and deny us passage. I fear he has yet to write back to us, but Ignis has not given us the time to wait. The young Emperor is nearly as territorial as he is peace-loving." She said, tracing her eyes about everyone's faces.

She drew in a breath. "Sers, I should remind you, both of Ignis's aggressions appear to be centered around murdering our daughter, your Princess Oichi." Her fingers clasped the Emperor's gnarled knuckles. "That is why we have decided to send her with the host." Oichi put on her best widened stare, tightening her lips into a surprised smile when her mother turned on her. Tsunehisa gave her an applauding grin.

"All this in mind, His Majesty and I have decided this host needs to be small, yet select. Small because we do not want Emperor Motonari to feel threatened, select to protect our daughter," she explained.

Ser Takanobu spoke first, "My Queen, I will see personally to the Princess's safe passage and return."

The Queen nodded, then received a whisper from the Emperor. This one met with agreement. "You command the Bibarels Ser. Bibarels are our most effective defense, should Ignis attack again. They are near useless in Greenleaf, against their grass Pokemon rangers. On that same notion, Ser Chiyo will also remain in Aurora, but will send three capable Warriors from the Snorlax guard." They both answered with, "as my Queen commands".

"Ser Tsunehisa-" The older knight bowed. "As a most trusted knight in our ranks and sworn shield to the Princess you will guard her. Also take four more Persians, and I leave you in charge of the urchin."

_Tsunehisa is going as well, I couldn't ask for better,_ Oichi thought.

"As Her Grace commands," he answered.

"Finally, flying Pokemon are of greatest advantage against Greenleaf. Ser Naoshige-"

"I will keep safe the Princess," he acknowledged.

Oichi's heart leapt. Perhaps now she would have time to know him on the long road to Greenleaf. How romantic it will be under the light of the stars. Maybe he would take her riding on Brave.

"I fear we cannot bid you leave," the Queen said.

"What?" Oichi and Hawk-eye barked at once. Oichi felt every eye on her now. Her mother's the most biting. _What have I done?_ she thought.

Luckily the comment fleeted with little more than a momentary stare. Naoshige was not finished though, "Her Grace, surely you jest, I am the mightiest in the whole guard," he declared with an objecting throat clear from Tsunehisa. Hawk-eye stood now, with palms against the table.

_Stop, stop,_ Oichi thought, hopefully loud enough for him to hear.

"Your modesty is noted," the queen quipped. "Your talents are renowned, true enough. That is why you must remain here, should we be attacked again. Since your eagerness to protect our daughter is so flagrant, we trust your discretion to select the best warriors under your command to journey."

Hawk-eye fell back into the chair, "As my Queen commands," he said sourly. Oichi deflated, giving him a look of mixed angst and disappointment. The council continued until midday when shade invaded the room. They spoke of funding, supplies, at one point her father gestured over a map while her mother and lord Chiyo who was most familiar with Greenleaf laid out a likely path. Apparently there an old road cut through the brush somewhere along the border. It would be a treacherous crawl over a low mountain, but far more manageable with Snorlax and cart than risking the wade through the Jade Sea, as the forest was called.

Ser Naoshige had the exact of list of names in mind, Ser Chiyo fled with promises to relay her names within the hour. As the council trickled away, Oichi was left alone with her parents.

"Your father and I only want what's best for you dear. I only wish we could send our best warriors with you, but-"

Oichi said, "I understand mother."

Queen Ary's eyes started to tear over, Oichi had wondered where her mothers flame had gone so suddenly. "As the Royal Family-"

"The people must come first," Oichi finished. She hugged her mother and wondered how long it had been since they last embraced one another. Ary ran her fingers through her daughter's hair and stared long into her eyes.

"I only wanted you to know-"

"We love you," King Ordan grunted so suddenly it nearly startled them both.

Oichi turned to her father who had grown a wide wrinkled smile. She hugged him next. He felt brittle in her arms, only then did she start to cry herself. She would be gone for a month at least, perhaps longer. _What if I come back and he's not here?_ she thought, letting go a warm sigh.

"Keep Bora with you," her mother said, planting a kiss into her hair.

"Jiggy," Bora perked up.

Oichi turned to her companion. "She is strong," she acknowledged, wiping her tears on her long glove. She lifted the Pokemon into her arms and looked back upon her mother's blushing eyes.

"I've seen it, Ordan," she whispered. "Look at our daughter, eighteen years and of such moving wit and beauty, merciful as the morning dawn."  
Her father nodded.

Oichi left the council a wreck. A big part of her wanted to stay right here in Aurora Palace and never think of leaving again. Maybe there was still time to call the whole thing off. Choan could slither into Greenleaf, spread his lies and bribes and be done with it.

"Keep strength in your heart and neutrality in your voice child," a voice called just beside her. Norman sat against the building, robed in azure. The zealous fool had to be pulled from the Pagoda fire by Ser Chiyo and Ser Takanobu, screaming how he 'must finish his meditation'. He was lucky to be alive, but his right arm suffered for it. His flesh turned pink and bubbled, the healers certain it would never look normal again. Oichi had only caught a glimpse of the wound, but it was sheathed in a white wrap from fingers to elbow like one of her gloves.

"Master Norman," she bowed, "you look well."

His smile retreated as he glanced his arm. "I am well enough," he said, rising to his feet. Sunlight struck something against his chest, a clear crystal twined around his neck. She wondered if he'd always worn it, admittedly she'd never paid attention. "How is Bora?" he asked, peering down at the Jigglypuff about her ankles.

"She is unbridled mischief incarnate," Oichi responded.

"Ohhh," he sighed, cocking his head to the side.

Oichi needed to pack her things for the long road, she had scarce time for this visit. "I bid you farewell, Master."

"Ohhh, wait Princess," he called. "Am I to understand you will journey to Greenleaf?"

Oichi spun on her heels, _how does he know that? Was he spying on the council?_

"A thousand apologies," he bowed, as if drawing the questions from her mind. "There is a master monk at Greenleaf Palace. Emerah, is her name, I have a message for her."

Oichi waited before his bald, curled round smile for more on this message. "Puff, Jiggy," Bora chimed in. Finally she could bare the silence no longer. "The message Master Norman?" she asked, trying to be polite.

"I am not certain you are fit to deliver it," he answered, studying her, then Bora, then her again.

Oichi grew annoyed, "Mayhaps you are right, Master. One of the knights would be better suited-"

"No, no, no," he shook his head. "I am old but no fool. I have seen these warriors turn allegiance too often as of late. I must leave this message with you or not at all, meet me in the training fields with Bora," he said, padding away on his soft slippers.

She really didn't have time for this. Though, Norman did give Bora to her, she owed him at least that much. She skittered off to her tent and changed into less restraining garb. Shedding her dress for a white training gi, light blue skirt, sapphire obi, and a pink cloth culet, she hustled to the practice fields in but a few moments.

Norman squat in the grass, waving his arms in a long technique. His Snorlax loomed over him, mimicking his slow yet remarkably steady movements. He had undone the top of his robe. As old as he claimed to be, his body befitted one no more than half his age, with lean muscles and taught skin. He finished his movements with a sharp thrust of his arm, then placed palm over fist, stood upright and bowed as she approached. "Princess," he acknowledged.

She mimicked his bow. When she was given Bora, she'd spent long days training under Norman to master her control over her Pokemon. It had been a long time since her last lesson, but her body quivered with remembrance. "I will test you Princess Oichi," he said. "I want to know how close you have grown to Bora. Honor!" he called.

The Snorlax swayed around him and barked once. The creature was near twice her own height and Arceues only knew how much heavier. "Master, I fear Bora is no match for Honor," she called.

Bora had never fancied herself a Jigglypuff, but instead a Dragonite with an unquenchable hunger for battle. Bora swung around before Oichi. "Puff!" she called, ready to brawl.

"Bora, you'll be hurt!" Oichi called, reaching for her Pokemon.

Norman's voice stopped her dead, "Your father was a fierce warrior. Behold, child, your Pokemon is willing to fight for you. Let her be a Pokemon, not your pet, be a warrior, not a Princess," he said. "Now come at me with all you have!"

"Lax!" Honor clapped his fists.

Look at her, so brave, Oichi thought. Maybe I could be brave too. Be a warrior, not a Princess, she repeated to herself. "Fine," she declared, narrowing her eyes. "I will not disappoint you, Master," she assured. "Go Bora!"

Bora took off with some spirit, for a moment, Oichi saw the Dragonite too. She tried to tackle the Snorlax the way she'd tackled the Pignite, but bounced off. Honor lumbered forward and plunged a strike into the ground, barely missing her. The speed surprised her, there was no anticipating the kick delivered next, knocking Bora away.

"Oh! Be careful!" she called, watching Bora struggle back to her feet.

"Your spirit is fine, but your bond is weak," Norman lectured. Before Bora could fully recover, Honor was on her again, punting her away.

She landed hard on the grass. "Jigglypuff," she cried weekly. It's not fair, Oichi thought. Honor is so much bigger than Bora.

"Battle is strategy," Norman said. "Honor is not quick, but you expect him to be slow. You work against yourselves. What good is a sword in the arms of a child?" he asked.

"Bora get up!" she called as Honor closed in again. She could see it now, he was right. The Snorlax may have been faster than most Snorlax, but by no means moved quickly. "You've got to stay out of the way Bora!" she called.

Honor unleashed a flurry of blows. Bora bobbed through the onyx winds of strikes. She landed only to skip away from another pound into the ground. She danced backward, across the field, Honor thundering after her. There was no opening, slow or not, Honor knew how to cover himself.

The Snorlax's natural bulk would protect it form Bora's attacks anyway. It was their strength. Wait! she thought. Jigglypuff's sing!

"Bora! He's old! Wear him down and try to put him to sleep!" she yelled.

The Jigglypuff took an opening to skitter through Honor's loins. As he turned around, she repeated the motion. Try as he might, there was little Honor could do to turn around faster. "To me Bora!" she called.

The Jigglypuff made a break for it as Honor searched about for a moment before giving chase. She's got some distance now. It shouldn't take long, Snorlax are most laziest of creatures, she thought. "Now Bora, Sing!"

Bora twirled round, then squealed a high pitched song. It was pure peace, sweet and soothing as a floral wind. It covered Oichi like a blanket, warming her, weighing her eyelids. She rocked back and forth on her heels and watched Honor do the same. Half drunk of drowsiness and pleased with herself, she looked at Norman who was motioning her to cover her ears. Too late, down she went.

Sometime later she awoke to Norman looking down on her. A pink sky of dusk backdropped him before she could wonder how long she'd slept. He smiled sheepishly. "I commend you Princess. I feared I had chosen wrong for a moment," he announced, his voice loud in her newly woken ears.

"Chosen wrong?" she asked, climbing up on her elbows. She hoped she heard right.

"Yes," he said. "I am never wrong though, the Jigglypuff is your Pokemon," he said.

She held out her hand to see if he'd help her to her feet, but instead he dropped the necklace she'd noticed earlier in his lap. "I do not understand," she said.

"This is my message, you have proven yourself, I fear Honor will not wake for another day at least," he smiled. Bora slid up next to her as she held the necklace out, catching the dawn in the narrow crystal. "Please remember to block your ears next time," he lectured with some muse in his voice.


	9. Pay the Price

**Initially this chapter was near twice as long as it is currently. Looking at it though, I determined that the other half needed to be nixed. It really didn't propel the story forward and felt rushed. So enjoy. Feedback always appreciated.**

**Chapter 9**

**Pay the Price**

Hanbei woke with a start. Heat washed over him, scorching flames reached greedily for his face. Where am I, he thought. Feet bound he plummeted down a narrow shaft until the rope yanked taught. His skin cried as his silks went up in flames, coating him in static yellow orange. Molten lava was drawing up on him and he could hear a hideous cackle. Hideyoshi's laugh. _No! No! I haven't done anything! Tomo!_ Smoke stole his voice.

A shadow plumed before him, taking shape with a round jagged grin. The Dusknoir was in the pit with him, blood-red eye rolling around in its hood. Its icy fingers cut into his flesh and spread out into a thousand needles. When it pulled away its bloody fingers, it held out Hanbei's own still-beating heart.

Hanbei woke again, shouting at the top of his lungs. He was back in his room, slouched over his desk. Sleep held its fingers on his eyes, he hadn't slept a full night in nearly one and a half fortnights. At times he'd become so exhausted, his sleep was dreamless. These moments, however brief were the sweetest, but as soon as he'd rested enough to dream again, the terrors would come back.

"Tomo," he murmured, but the Pikachu was still in his lap. He wondered how long he would be alive, and if it would hurt as much by the time he was ready to die. _What is happening to me?_ he thought. _Kanbei_, he was sure of it. "How? No, magic is for fools," he concluded aloud. Tomo rose and snuggled into his chest.

"Pi-pika," he looked up at his master, his eyes pink with fatigue as well.

Somewhere between sleep and awake, Hanbei knew the Dusknoir in the corner of his room was a waking dream. No one else could see it, as far as he knew. It never moved, or made sounds, just hovered there, watching him. At first it had been more startling than his nightmares, now it became a way to know he wasn't truly asleep. "See? I can figure this out," he said, patting Tomo who gazed upon him with some disquiet.  
The lampent charm lay beneath his parchment, he could feel it watching him. "The damned thing has eyes," he muttered. He threw his accounts aside, scrabbling around for it when a knock sounded at his door. "Come!" he snapped.

Nagayasu's young squire entered, orange cloak tied over his shoulder. He was a beardless, green boy, no older than thirteen, with a swath of unkempt hair the color of healthy soil. His Larvesta, a tan and white worm with a flaming red mane around its neck, crawled about his feet, to be greeted by Tomodachi. "My lord," Hidenaga began. "Prince Hideyoshi and Commander Nagayasu request your presence in the small meeting hall."

What could this be? He hadn't planned this visit, had he been exposed? Before he could think longer, an uncomfortable silence had passed. "Milord?"

"Yes, I will meet with them," he said politely. Before the boy could leave he reached into his pocket and handed him a Fontaine Mark. "You'll get more from that coin," Hanbei remarked as Hidenaga turned it over suspiciously. "Please," he gestured away, "you need not escort me, thank you."

After he left, Hanbei changed his clothes and made his way to the gullet of Ignis palace. Off the circular central chamber that remained a constant on every floor, a long hallway circled round and tucked upward to the small meeting hall. His very being here meant the words he was about to hear would not likely reach the ears of others. He pulled on the bronze handle to enter a room lit by stark daylight passing through a thin layer of black glass, hardened in the volcano most like.

_Midday_, he thought. He thought on how little that had mattered to him until Hideyoshi's voice pulled him from trance. "Hanbei, sit please, Nagayasu brings us disturbing news." Hanbei turned to see the fat commander squatting behind the small square table of dried and splintered oak. Hanbei took the chair across from lady Pyre, jet hair and succulent breasts hanging just over Osu, perched in her lap. Hideyoshi who wore a face wrought with dread beneath his father's eared kabuto.

Hanbei felt ill at the sight of the demon who'd haunted most of his dreams as of late. His Prince's eyes sliced him open. He felt naked and exposed. Nagayasu cleared his throat and Hanbei woke again. "Seems the boy needs more sleep," Nagayasu muttered.

"Seems the commander needs more food," he quipped back.

"He seems fine to me," Hideyoshi remarked, shooting a blank gaze at his watch commander. Nagayasu swore bloody vengeance in his eyes for that one. "Please, Nagayasu, tell my confidant what you told me, his ears are my own."  
As he told the entirety of it, Nagayasu eyed him with a fabricating gaze, play along. "Pumice village on the border of Fontaine-"

"I know the place," Hanbei said.

"I can scarcely believe it," his rough voice rang through Hanbei's ears. "The village has been sacked by the usurper's dogs. I've questioned my men thoroughly," he said, changing his glance. Hanbei saw him rubbing his fingertips together out the corner of his eye, you'd better pay them, he was saying. "There is no question. They murdered the smallfolk and killed three of our own men," he explained. "Ser Tinder, Ser Flint, and Match Halapeeno. They left none of the smallfolk alive, far as I can tell there were no survivors. Only one man surrendered, we questioned him, then I had him executed for disturbing the fire lord's peace and inciting war."

_Arceues, he did it! He killed the ambassador and burned the town_. Hanbei shook his head and clicked his tongue. Hideyoshi sighed and Osu growled. "What do we know about this usurper, Hanbei?" he asked.

That took a moment. He knew only rumors for certain. "He is young, bold, and much beloved by his people," he swallowed. "He is called The Waterfall. Amiably from his friends who believe in his sense of calm-"

Hideyoshi scoffed, "murdering innocent smallfolk is no sense of calm."

"Respectfully from his fellow warriors for his overwhelming fighting style, and most fretfully by his enemies for the tears he leaves in his wake. Some say he is lowborn, others believe he swam the ocean as an infant from another continent. His name is Motochika. He does not play well with money or power and has declined to appear at any feasts by any lords. King of the smallfolk," Hanbei continued.

Hideyoshi nodded his gaze daggered into him, "King of the smallfolk?"

_Damn, why did I say that?_ Even Nagayasu wore disbelief on his face.

Osu's growling grew louder as he drew in another steaming breath. Lady Pyre ran her narrow fingers over his orange fur to calm him. "My lord son, if I may advise you?"

Hideyoshi leaned against one of his hands, curling his finger around his lip. At an endearing gesture she spoke again. "Why wasn't the prisoner brought before the prince to be executed?"

Arceues, it was so hard to look upon her beautiful face. Her benevolent face, eyes that could warm the ice from a Beartic's chin and lips that could kiss away pain and speak words to end wars. _All I have to do is end her,_ laughter filled Hanbei's head. _Kill her! Kill her! _The familiar voice bit into his ear.

"It is my right as lord of the watch to execute prisoners apprehended in their deeds," Nagayasu defended himself. Osu's growl drew his attention.

_His damn Pokemon knows,_ Hanbei thought, panic squeezing his heart. A chill plunged from his neck down when Hideyoshi scolded his Pokemon. "Osu! Silence."

Lady Pyre calmed him again. "My apologies, ser. That law eluded me under the circumstances," she said.

"You are grievous for your husband, I don't blame you," Nagayasu grunted as somberly as he could.

Hideyoshi slid his chair out, rose and paced like a caged Monferno. "I waited, I tried to be patient, mother," he said. Hanbei and Nagayasu watched him intently. "My lord father would instantly retaliate, smash Fontaine and this usurper. I have no doubt you would have me play the stoic again," he said, tracing his eyes around the room and halting on his mother. She nodded and seemed about to speak but he went on. "I will not. Not this time. Mother, you are so level-headed, perhaps to a fault. Arceues forgive me, but my father is too hotheaded, so much so his people suffer. Two campaigns. I will send twenty-thousand men to open a battlefield on Fontaine, and I will prepare immediately to enter Greenleaf personally, with a sizeable host of four-hundred to persuade Emperor Motochika to join our cause. I want preparations made immediately!" he said, pounding the table so everyone was awake now.

Lady Pyre remained silent.

"What say you, Nagayasu?"

The question blindsided him harder than one of Osu's fists would have. "I-I will begin selecting the warriors for each host," he said.

"Hanbei?"

_Preparing immediately? Hideyoshi would leave? He did say that. How could I put the charm around his neck then? I couldn't. Could Kanbei blame me then if he and his mother were as far separated?_ "I would have advised the same," he answered.

"Good. It is decided then. Nagayasu, I will leave you to your preparations. Mother, please walk with my wife, tell her that I will be traveling, Hanbei, accompany me to the dungeons, with Tomo at your side," he ordered, starting at the door. Hanbei may have passed out from sheer terror if Hideyoshi weren't pacing away so quickly.

Hanbei launched from his chair, Tomo striding abreast. Osu followed, and they left the other two behind to cross the hall and descend stair after stair. The anxiety had never worn off from Hidenaga's initial summon to the small council and wild thoughts chased Hanbei all the way down to the hot, dry dungeon. Hideyoshi's wordlessness was troublesome most of all. If he turned on them, it would just be he and Tomo pincered by the Prince and the fearsome Osu.

The dungeon was hot because magma coursed through the walls of the belly of the volcano, like hot blood. The place reeked of rotten sulphur, overturning in the crisp dirt underfoot. They were lightblind by Osu's tail, but Hanbei did not need to see to know what lay beyond. They came by many orange cloaks taking harbor beneath their own torches. Lord Pyre believed a dungeon's treachery could be measured by its silence. The prisoners were beaten free of their willingness to moan or beg.

Hanbei took strange comfort in the long trot through the darkness. How long would they have walked before Hideyoshi confronted him, if that had been his intent. They moved from the man cells, down a corridor to the cages.

The temperature rose and the walls puckered into Osu's light, starlit with shards of volcano glass. Their footsteps carried down the hall, even Tomo's slapping steps, blending into a constant, distant roar. Hideyoshi's voice boomed, "I found it hunting in the north with Master Monk Phyre. My first instinct was to kill it, it would have made a marvelous trophy and splendid practice for Osu, but Master Phyre reminded me of you, and your peculiar relationship with Tomodachi."

Ignis born, many had found Hanbei's electric Pokemon strange. On his tenth birthday, like every other youth, he had knelt and meditated with Master Monk Phyre. Unlike the other youths meditating on this day, she could not find a suitable Pokemon for him. At first she'd thought he wasn't a warrior at all. Uncertain, she journeyed to visit other Master Monks, she returned on Hanbei's eleventh birthday with Tomo.

"Chuuu," Tomo growled, throwing sparks from his cheeks. Lurking down the hallway were several Pokemon belonging to prisoners. They erupted into a deafening cacophony of grunts, roars, and growls. Like their human counterparts, they were disciplined and learned quickly not to use attacks.

"Tomo, stop," Hanbei whispered, but he persisted. Hanbei never asked much of him, but Tomo never disobeyed when he had.

"Pi-pika," he persisted, his sparks growing brighter than Osu's tail.

"He senses it, amazing," Hideyoshi said.

One thrumming cry roared above the rest. A surge of light ripped down the corridor. The walls and Hideyoshi in front of him disintegrated.  
Hideyoshi's voice came at last, "He's not tame yet." A few more paces and his eyes became aware again of the darkness watching him. They reached a cell door, Hanbei struggled to inside.

"He remembers Osu," Hideyoshi observed. A blood red orb flickered to life, then a second which swayed to back and forth behind a tall figure.

"An Ampharos?" Hanbei whispered. Near twice its height with fat, outward horns and yellow fur turned a burned orange by its own red tail glowing, it lumbered forward cautiously, sniffing at the bars of its cage. Once upon a time, Hanbei would have been afraid, but now what did he have to lose? He reached his hand and touched the creature's round snout.

He was met with a wet snort and a sharp stag dug under his elbow, followed by endless tingling. Tomo tugged at his breeches as he winced from the shock. Linking with electric was no easy task, he knew. If he pulled away from the shock this Pokemon would never respect him. Ampharos were the sort that needed to be taught respect. If they weren't, their warriors would surely end as lightning charred husks. The shocks intensified.

"Pika!" Tomo called out for him, his little face lit by the Ampharos's white lightning.

Hanbei grabbed took Tomo's hand. He could feel the electricity travel away from him, until it was gone completely. The Ampharos pulled back, beaming down at him. "It's done, the big guy's with me now," he said, smiling weakly at Hideyoshi who gave him a reassuring nod with a clap on the shoulder.

"Good, make preparations. I want you to command the battle against Fontaine in my absence," he said.  
Hanbei half laughed, "Hideyoshi, my battle is on parchment, I'm a natural coward and rightfully so because I hit no harder than your own lady wife," he answered.

His Lord eyed him curiously for a moment, then laughed as well. "Please. Will you make me beg you? I don't trust anyone else with this seat. This Pokemon has a clear advantage over water-type Pokemon. You study night and day and you don't know how just one Pokemon of a particular type can be crucial in battle? If cowering behind burlier men is your fancy, I can assure you this Ampharos has quite the range on him."

"Mon-monferno," Osu agreed.

It would take a dreadful bribe to stave off Nagayasu's beatings when he found out Hanbei would be leading the charge. Especially with his Prince heading off to Greenleaf.


	10. Origin of Master Monks 500 views

_**Hey all, here is some extra bit of "lore" as thanks for 500 page views. I'm grateful for every reader, but indebted to my followers:**  
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_**Fallen Vanguard**_

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_**Readers are a writer's greatest muse.**_

_Blue Oak, Ransei archeological research findings_

_Before the hero Acreus perished at the hand of Serpus, he began the order of Master Monks. Out of his entire army just seven were chosen to govern the regions of Ransei. Each one had mastered an element, Master Heamag of Fire, Master Alice of Ice, Master Roark of darkness, Master Mych of Psychic, Master Volette of Electricity, Master Botan of Grass, and Master Wake of Water._

When Acreus died, his reign faded with time. The rule of the original seven master monks became grossly impotent as generations passed and new countries were formed. Eventually there was need of 10 new master monks to encompass every element. Although they possessed no armies of their own, master monks maintained certain roles in the warlord society:

Their love for the eternal warlord Acreus remained, so they preached hymns of his great deeds and boundless wisdom. Even Serpus the dragon the knight found his way into the prayers. The Hymns consist mostly of overcoming challenges in the honorable way Acreus had in life. They serve to bolster good nature across man and Pokemon alike.

In addition to prayer, they are both seekers and conveyors of knowledge. They journey to unveil the mysteries of Pokemon themselves, their peculiar bonds with humans, and their ability to grow (evolve) more rapidly with human partners.

At the age of ten, youths must meditate with the master monk of their region to receive their first Pokemon. They are the only people who are able to identify one's inner element and appropriately designate a partner. Each monk strives to find perfect matches in their young pupils, but are not always successful.

Lastly, only a master monk can declare a nation conquered by another. Thought this is loosely enforced amongst higher class lords, most people knights, villagers, citizens, merchants, bow to the warlord whom the monk declares fit to rule.

_These responsibilities were severely balanced. There were many who sought to become master monks, but so few who were worthy or possessive of the necessary skill. A new master could only be elected by sixteen monks upon the death of the seventeenth. It is neither birthright, or for the taking by force. Additionally, a master may be relieved of duty by the other sixteen if they break the sacred laws:_

A master monk is never to engage in war.

A master monk may only battle to defend themselves, defend a pupil, or train a pupil.

A master monk is never to kill another warrior. In battle, they are only to do what they need to survive or escape.

A master monk is never to align his/her speech, prayer, or services with the political views of those in power.

_Although the title of master monk has been long done away with, their practices are still alive and well. It is widely believed that although these practices were steeped in religion, much of the writings and teachings of the master monks shaped the policies, ethics, and work of regional Pokemon Professors._


	11. The Jade Sea

**Chapter 10**

**The Jade Sea**

The brush shuddered prompting Kami to leap from Hiro's shoulder and scamper off to investigate. He'd been doing so all day, since the early morning when they began their march. The Jade Sea seemed somewhat less wild than Ser Takatora had told it. Oh the occasional root reaching from the ground could be an ankle snare for certain, but nothing a little high stepping couldn't fix.

Hiro left his kabuto in Aurora. It didn't feel just taking it if he intended to leave once the journey was over. Instead he sported his leather armor, and a thick, white cloak often reserved for squires.

He shouldered into his hatchet, smiting branches so brave as to block the old road with their gnarled fingers. The carriage just behind him, was a burdensome thing, broader than a single Snorlax, but carried by three and great enough to house the Princess, Maa, and the portly ambassador Hiro couldn't remember the name of.

He cut abreast with Ser Scraf, one of Ser Reval's Cincino knights. Her Pokemon, Silver was pretty as any other, but she was a homely woman a good head taller than Hiro. Born with a man's shoulders and jaw, short cropped hair and white as her Pokemon's in spite of her young age, he mistook her for a man at first glance. At least she'd been forward enough to shake his hand and speak before he'd made the mistake aloud.

Ahead of them, the commander and his small squad of Persians cleared away the brunt of the leafy forces, while he and Scraf scattered the remnants. "I am amazed that some are named men at all," she said, smashing away the branches with her broad arms. They had been discussing the ambassador at length. "Take his dick off and he is more a woman than I have ever cared to be," she said.

At least she'd been amusing. Hiro had learned that Ser Scraf tried to marry from the age of fifteen to twenty five, but could not find a suitor "tough enough". In the last five hours he'd learned much about men and how even the burliest still blubber like children, and not at all infrequently.

"Is this how you feel about Oichi?" he asked, lopping away another wooden hand.

"Princess Oichi, a knight must remember his courtesies," she reminded without looking at him. _I am not a knight_, he thought. _I never will be_.

"The Princess-" she began, taking another swing. "She's a lady for sure, but a wild one you'd better believe. That girl's got the spirit to be a great warrior, I thinks its her mum that forces expectations on her," she explained. "You repeat that an' you remember what I said about the ambassador," she said, pointing the blunt end of her hatchet at him.

He wanted to ask her about Maa, but feared what she might say, or that Maa could hear him from the carriage.

"Damnit! Ugh!" One of the men at the head of the line was skipping about on one leg, the other soaking through with blood. "It bit me! Ah!"

"Aw quiet down," one of the Staravia girls Ser Joyenne called, sweeping up from behind the carriage. Mail shook over her body as she hustled to the head of the line, her dirty-gold locks sweeping behind her. Scraf turned and motioned the Snorlax to stop. "It's not even poisonous," she groaned.

They sat the man down and pulled off his armor. The wound looked more a circular scratch, no bigger than the round of Hiro's fist. As Joyenne wiped away the blood, he could see the red swipe drawn between two bleeding holes. The man whined more.

The commander, Ser Tsunehisa, beheld him with pity and shook his head. "How bad is it?" he asked her.

"He's blubbering. Looks like a baby Snivy. Didn't even have all its teeth," she remarked.

"Come on man," Tsunehisa barked. "You'll live." Joyenne wrapped the wound and helped the man to his feet. "Go, walk in the back so Joyenne can keep an eye on you," he said, waving him away. "Green boys," muttered Tsunehisa. Then he looked at Hiro.

"What is the matter, ser?" came a voice something like belch.

"Lord Choan," Tsunehisa answered. The ambassador leaned from the carriage tossing something around in his slimy mouth. "Ser Grone tread's like a drunken Snorlax and a Snivy's punished him for it."

Grone's mouth flattened into bitter embarrassment. Choan gave them all a cool look, then squinted toward the afternoon sky. "We will make camp in a few hours, wouldn't you say? I too grow weary of this travel." Hiro wouldn't have believed him if he didn't look paler and more tired than anyone else in the host. His face was being sucked through the dark holes that were his eyes, while strands from his long, pulled-back hair sprung out like haggard naked branches.

"Hiro, you and that hatchet'll take Ser Grone's place," he ordered.

"Looks like your work just doubled," Scraf quipped with a masculine grin.

Ahead of the caravan the trees were lush, as if the path had somehow been stuffed full of greenery by giants. The Persians did a splendid job at dispersing the brush. Each cut of their claws sent splinters and leaves blowing away. If the caravan were a spear, the Persians were the sharp tip, and the humans the broadening point, and there was no shortage of work for him to do. Hiro's arm went numb in minutes that felt like an hour. He stopped and wiped the sweat from his brow, then glanced back at the carriage, wondering how comfortable the Princess, Maa and the ambassador must be.

He and the commander locked eyes. Ser Tsunehisa was older than was appropriate to guess, yet somehow spry as his Persian. "Did you think it was all glory and feasts?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"Knighthood, we earn our keep you know," he said, his kind face locked in a scowl. Hiro didn't know what to make of that. "It's not easy. Watching people be carried through a trail like this in a comfortable carriage, while we're out here hacking until our arms fall off." He gave another swing, Hiro followed suit. "Then you must defend them if trouble starts. You vow to protect them, hopefully you'll come to learn."

_What gives them the right to sit so comfortably while others work?_ He wanted to say, but didn't have to. The old commander had met his fair share of green men-at-arms and plucked it out of him. "They have to be comfortable. Because they are expected to be and look comfortable. It is part of the strange work they do, but make no mistake, a man is wild without Kings. Violence begets further violence unless it begets law."

Law was all well-and-good, silks and lavish and coin were the enemy of civilization, or so Hiro believed. He turned away before Tsunehisa could read that thought as well.

Darkness fell as promised near three hours later. The brush let up and their pace quickened. They sent Staravia to scout ahead, brought every warrior save one brave soul, Scraf, to the front of the caravan and sent another Snorlax to the back as they climbed a steep slope. The ground was moist and steamy with a potpourri of dirt and grass uprooted under foot. Their ascent reached a stone bluff, broad and flat enough to make camp, just as the first star flared to life.

From their height they could peer over the Jade Sea turned deep sapphire, tossing and folding as if it really were water. They had a wall to their backs, of another cliff high above. Hiro was given first watch. Maa made eyes at him through supper. It killed not to be able to talk with her.

The fire behind him smoldered to a glow, dying with a light gray spirit trailing into the heavens. It didn't matter much, the night was warm and the wind felt good. Kami paced near the edge of the bluff, as Hiro stood watching. His legs complained of the long walk, then climb but he didn't care. Out of all the countries he'd walked through, he'd never been to Greenleaf.

The other knights and the nobles had faded into sleep rather quickly. Tsunehisa had said he'd find him and lop his legs off he tried to run, and proved it by leaving his Persian to watch him. A twig snapping near the tents alerted Kami and the Persian.

Hiro looked back to see Maa, trotting barefoot around the fire, her lips twisted into a devious grin and her blue eyes glinting like stars. She wore a high gown blue as Aurora plate with adornments he scarcely noticed because he was staring at her limber white thighs. His heart leapt with his breeches, "no! go back, they probably heard you get up," he waved her away.

She whispered, "Not even Kyo knows I'm gone, and I keep no secrets from the Princess." He turned back to his watch, the more attention he gave her, the more like he was to get in trouble. She stood beside him for a time, her gaze warming his neck. The wind blew her hair across her lips, as it had in the training fields two days past.

Cool relief swept over him as she too looked out over the forest. "The night is beautiful, wouldn't you say?"

"Heh-yeah," he rasped.

"Has your mouth gone dry, ser knight?" she asked, giving him another smile. Her eyes trapped him now, he was caught and would not look away. Certainly the Persian couldn't tell Tsunehisa about her visit. His face warmed when Maa said, "you have such kind eyes."

He was hung on her first question. "I am no knight," he said looking back out over the Jade Sea.

"You will be. I know it," she answered, her voice so soft.

It was a queer thing, having someone believe in him this way. Whatever Hawk-eye knew about the royal family and the stuck up knights, there was no truth in it concerning Maa. She had been on his side from the first day they met. She sat on the dusty rock and swept a spot for him.

"What makes you so certain? Why don't you believe I might run away given the first chance?" Hiro asked.

Maa leaned back on her hands to search the stars. Then she looked back and kissed him. Hiro's response was late, he'd thought the chance was gone, but then she kissed him again and took his hand in hers. "You are a good man, I know it," she said.

He felt his shoulders quivering. "Wh-why do you present yourself to me like this. I am an urchin, a street boy, I could be dirty. Are you this way around other men?"

She pulled away with an uncertain stare. _Dammit, why am I so nervous, I'm such an idiot_. She looked sad, "I am no maiden, if that is what you are asking." There was a long pause in which she looked down and he couldn't take his eyes off her.

"When you are a girl in trade for servantry, you are not always left in the...cleanest of hands. You learn at a young age that men have eyes and hungers that are so deep, especially for the pretty ones. Not a day goes by that I don't wish I were a Princess, so they never could have done that to me. That is the truth of it. I-"

Hiro could see star-flecked tears building in her eyes. He reached his arm around her realizing he wounded her.

"No, I apologize," she said. "What's done is done," she declared, wiping her eyes.

"I didn't mean to-"

"I know. You wouldn't, you couldn't understand," she said. "I have never been with a man willingly," she answered. "Don't pity me," she asked.

Hiro said, "What do I have to pity you with? So we both know lives in which we don't know what tomorrow will be like. You're parents sold you, mine may have if I were a girl, instead they abandoned me. First my father, then my whore mother. You say I couldn't understand, but mayhaps I understand more than you believe." Something made him cup her cheek in his hand and kiss her salty lips.

They were there for sometime before Kami began to tug at his cloak. Hiro brushed the Pokemon away until Kami bit down on his finger. His lips came pried away from Maa's, "Ow, what in Arceus has gotten into you?" From the path they had ascended the mountain, came a rustling that roused the Persian. Hiro rose and stalked over to the path, "stay here," he warned her. She nodded.

A few paces past the empty carriage, he stood on his toes to peer into the dark cavernous mouth of the brush. Although the moon was exceptionally bright on this night, he could see nothing within, no matter which way he tilted his head. Satisfied he turned back, "probably just a-!"

Maa had a knife to her throat. The attacker had stalked up so quietly even the Persian was caught unawares. A wide, straw hat veiled the wielder's eyes. He wore form fitting black leather armor with a green and brown blotched gi, hanging loosely over his body. The spikes on his leather gauntlets and greaves told the tale, he'd scaled the bluff.

Before he could speak, Maa stomped on his foot and tried to push him away, "Hiro! Look out!" she cried.

Two yellow eyes like still flames atop candles sparked to life behind him. He ducked just before a gust of blades skinned the armor off him. Not blades, leaves! Maa was still struggling. After seeing his Pokemon miss the attack, the man wrenched the knife into her gut. Then pulled away, dagger still in hand.

Hiro watched the red blood soak her blue gown, the hands he had just held. The blue eyes that had so warmly and honestly gazed upon him were lost in cold. She smiled to see that he had dodged the attack, but it faded so quickly, too quickly. Maa fell to her knees, then collapsed in the dirt. He sprinted toward her, "Maa!"

Before he could reach her, the man lunged at him with the same dagger that stabbed her, still wet with blood. He bobbed under it and tackled him to the ground. "Kami!" he shouted. But his shouts roused every soul in the camp. The Aurora knights appeared to rise from the ground itself, Pokemon and all.

A dozen or more green warriors like the first rose from the trees, from the cliff's edge and from the path behind with an array of grass pokemon. Snivy, Servine both green as vines, the latter longer than the former; Grovyle, Sceptile, spry and reptilian and nearly as tall as men, sprouting various plants from their bodies; Whimsicott with its small body of gnarled roots and back of white cotton, the same that had attacked Hiro from the bushes; Lilligant, a living flower in the shape of a maid in a court dress; and even a Simisage with its grassy furr and fine muscles. The campsite erupted into shouts and clangor of sword and Pokemon cries. Tsunehisa barely had time to shout to his knights before tossing a green warrior over his shoulder and slamming him the throat with a mailed fist.

Hiro couldn't think. He struck the attacker in the face. Then again, harder so his own knuckles hurt, sending the straw hat wheeling away. Something lashed him in the side and sent him sprawling over the rough stone. He hit his head, but not that hard.

Like a brown furred crossbow bolt, Kami flew into the Servine, hitting the middle of its slender body just as hard as it had hit Hiro. "Heev!" His companion called to him.

Maa lay motionless and she was all he cared to look at until a shrill cry drew his gaze. The Princess fumbled away from her shuddering tent. A Sceptile had worked its way in, but tangled itself in the chords and cloth. "Kami, hit that Sceptile!" he pointed. At that same moment, Tsunehisa's Persians pounced claws first as well. Combined, they slammed it into the far rock wall thrashing to get free. The Persian leapt on it, slashing away. The commander's words rang in his ear, 'you'll have to defend them.'

Hiro sprinted forward, seized Oichi's wrist, then proceeded to yank her from the fray. Hiro's eyes met that of the fat ambassador in his tattered white silks. Dodging a flurry of leaves, he formed up on Hiro as well. "Bora! To me!" Oichi was shouting for her Pokemon. Bora the Jigglypuff was making quick work of a small green snake Pokemon, a Snivy, smacking it to and fro whilst clutching it by the leafy tail.

The bulk of the grass Pokemon were concentrated on the three Snorlax, trying not to get stomped or thrown. Just one Sceptile kept the other four Persians at bay. One of the white Pokemon pounced at it, but the Sceptile twisted on its green scaled hands and kicked it over the edge of the bluff. Its horrible cry echoed upward before Hiro heard the Pokemon break against a branch. Leaves swirled up and sliced at least three knights to bloody ribbons. Silver pounced on the Whisicott, while Tsunehisa's Persian continued to mulch the tent-bound Sceptile.

Tsunehisa himself marched over to them, bloody Katana in hand. On his way he slew another man, opening him from heart to rib then tossed the corpse aside. "This way, this way!" he commanded in a full throated battle voice, motioning the three to follow. They moved to the edge of the bluff, away from the Pokemon. It seemed the attackers were indiscriminate, they didn't favor to attack the Princess or any knight in particular. Just open slaughter.

Kami ran down a Snivy, tearing at it with his teeth while managing to dodge the one Simisage. A green ape Pokemon. Bora bashed into the Simisage while Kami bounced back. Throwing it off its feet.

Scraf wheeled round with one of the attackers clutched by the back of his gi and his breeches, heaving him over the cliff. The man flailed and yowled just as horribly as the Persian had. Hiro could not tell whether the battle was won or lost until a shrill cry cut the chaos and drew their eyes skyward.

The six Staravia they brought swam from the darkness. Flying Pokemon were experts at subduing grass types. They tore through the enemy a hail of smoky arrows, pecking their sharp beaks and smiting with their strong wings.

"I can save her! I can save her!" He yelled at Tsunehisa, but what did he know or care of their relations?

He ran for Maa, but Oichi shrieked again, "What are you doing?" He watched Choan lurch at her, thrusting her over the edge. Oichi gown fluttered in the open air as her arms groped for the edge. Without thinking, Hiro dove after her cloak snapping in the free fall. He wrapped his arms around her and they both held on tight.

When he did hit, the rocks breaching the steep slope battered him senseless as they rolled downward. He held her head close and tried to remember to tuck his in so his teeth didn't sever his tongue. A tree branch reamed his cheek as they tumbled below the treeline. Another jagged rock socked him in the back as they bounced into the mud below.

His arms fell open and the Princess went rolling limply along the forest floor. He could taste the steely blood from his open lip and his whole body quaked with crippling pain. He coughed once, then twice, the third time he yelled for her, "Princess Oichi!"

Rolling to his feet, he felt the gash on his side soak his belly. The fall had savaged his leather armor and select parts of his body. Still he felt as though he were falling, stumbling from his feet, back into the mud. _This is bad,_ he thought, watching the Princess for any signs of life at all. When he got foot beneath him, his back felt as though a ball of iron spikes were passing through it. He cried out, thinking he might die.

Gathering his strength, his hand landed on the back of her neck. Her pink gown had been spared by his cloak. Save many scratches, she looked relatively unscathed. He rocked her vigorously, "Princess! Princess! Wake-up! Are you alright?" She stirred and groaned. "Hugh, thank Arceus you're alive," he whispered.

A metal grinding sounded behind him. _Oh what now?_ "Kami!" he blasted at the top of his lungs his voice cracking sharply. "Kami!" He roared again.

"Shut up! Shut-Up!" a whisper bit off at him. Tsunehisa slid down the slope on his backside, carefully slowing himself with his greaves. He broke into a run when he sank close enough to the ground. Kami sprang hurriedly from his shoulder to Hiro's side. Tsunehisa's ghostly white Pokemon took calculated pounces to descend the hill.

"By Arceus," he said aloud, kneeling beside his Princess. He groped around her neck with two fingers. After a long moment he said, "She's alive!"

"Help," Hiro choked in the mud.

The old commander lifted Oichi's limp body, sat her against a tree and came back to hoist him up. "I told you to shut up!" he snapped. "Listen!"

The clangor from upslope hadn't stopped, only intensified. A rustling came from the trees overhead. "They're hunting us," Hiro could feel the commander's warm breath against his face. Out of the canopy came Bora with her emerald eyes catching the moonlight. She landed gentle as a feather before screening the dark surroundings for her warrior.

"Can you walk?" Tsunehisa asked as Hiro watched the Jigglypuff scamper into the dark. "We've got to leave here. I can't carry both of you. If you cannot walk then I'll give you a painless death," he offered. Hiro thought he joked, or perhaps was being cruel, but he saw the stern in his eyes when moonlight pierced the canopy. _He means it_, he panicked, trying to find his legs.

"I-I can walk," he grunted. When the commander let him go, he fell to one knee, almost face-first back into the mud. His legs creaked like an old tree. He put his hand over his wound, sticky with mud.

The darkness of the forest filled his vision, and the pain was all he could bear, but still he found the strength to limp after Tsunehisa, as he hoisted the Princess into his arms.


	12. The Cure

**So, not gonna lie, after this chapter I am seriously considering changing the rating to M. Any thoughts on that? Also I am trying something new, where I post "news updates" under my profile that previews next week's chapter, if you've never clicked my name, check it out. **

**Chapter 11**

**The Cure**

The Charizard tails glowed in the night sky like red laughing skulls. Hanbei looked down from the back of his mount into the black water of the Great Wall, swirling like a thick sludge, and just as deadly he knew, teeming with all manner of water Pokemon guarding Fontaine's bordering river.

The warrior sitting in front of him clad herself in copper mail with a helm fashioned like the narrow snout of her Charizard. Selise, the daughter of one of the orange cloaks, though Hanbei could not remember which. Hanbei himself wore golden mail with silver trimmings about his pauldrons and an orange cloak snapping around his back, fastened for dear life by a ruby brooch carved into an Ignis flame.

He had left Tomodachi at the palace to march with the rest of the troops, while he went ahead with the Charizards. The little Pokemon had wailed when left behind, but he would be safer that way. He couldn't leave the Lampent charm there either. He wore it in pouch around his waist. Yuuwaku, the Ampharos, dangled in the Charizard's arms. It seemed electric Pokemon feared heights no more than they feared the ones who dwell in the sky.

Of the Pokemon in their army, the breadth of the mighty river could only be crossed by Charizards. _Amazing Fontaine has found a way to tame such a force_, he thought. When Nagayasu came to him with a plan, shock could scarcely describe his surprise. He'd thought the Lockforts on the river would be heavily guarded, but Pigface had been right, the usurper apparently couldn't be bothered to man them properly.

They lost only one Charizard in the skirmish to win the fort, executed all nine soldiers there, and left the rest of their force to hold the position until the bulk of the army arrived. One squad had been sent south, one north, both of about equal size to capture the other two western Lockforts. They were instructed to turn their flames to the skies when they captured them.

Just after dusk the ebon candles flickered to life against the shadows of the mountains to signal the flight across the river. Once all six Lockforts were captured, Hanbei would be in control of the Great Wall. He would close all three locks, stop the river from flowing, then the main force would be able to cross without worry.

Presumably, a small platoon awaited them on the other side of the river as well. However, the light of their own signal must have alerted the Fontaine warriors, they would be ready for them. _They may have already sent for aid,_ Hanbei thought. Yuuwaku was powerful, he could tell when he touched him for the first time, but could even he be enough to hold the position if all of Fontaine knew they were coming?

Hanbei drew in a cold breath as the eastern Lockfort came into view on the far bank. It sat squat, dug into the ground like a half buried Roggenrola, bristled with battlements and one tall tower looming over the water. _This is no fort, this is a castle,_ Hanbei thought as the huddled mass of stone grew and grew.

The dark and empty windows made him even more nervous. Not a single one was lit with candle flame, nor any torches to be seen on the battlements. Perhaps there were no soldiers guarding it, or mayhaps they retreated. The warriors they'd executed had all claimed to be citizens. It was widely known The Waterfall took his throne on the backs of smallfolk warriors, not with proper lords or knights, perhaps the soldiers had fled the fort at the sight of the Ignis signal.

The windows felt like eyes to Hanbei, and at any moment that horrible red pupil would roll around in each one of them, beat him down from all directions. Was this a nightmare? Had he really flown with the Charizards? Or at any moment would Hideyoshi appear to burn him? It was impossible to tell without the still dusknoir in the corner of his room telling him whether or not he was awake.

They came up on the eastern bank when the Charizard in front of them bobbed and took a sharp dive. The cursing whispers of arrows fluttered, some so near his helm he could feel their breaths. Suddenly the Pokemon beneath him fell away. His stomach lurched as they plummeted toward the water. A nauseating swing beneath the hail of arrows gave them a burst of speed and put land underneath them.

The hissing of a hundred Ekans launched volleys of water javelins. From the fort, from the land, from the water, hell, as they arched back downward from the sky as well. The red fleshy tip of an arrow burst through the back of Selise's neck. As they took a turn her limp body nearly dragged him off the mount as well.

The Charizard's roar thundered across the sky. It gave a sharp wingbeat and had Hanbei not thrown his arms around its neck, the speed would have dismounted him like a lance to the chestplate. Hanbei's heart pounded in his throat, _please don't drop us please don't drop us!_

An unrelenting stream of fire poured from the Elise's Charizard's mouth across the length of the southern battlements. Hanbei watched blackening bodies doing a horrible dance lit by the crackling blaze. The beast whipped round, Yuuwa was bleating loudly now, obviously forgotten by his carrier.

What was left of the other Charizards were making their first passes over the fort now, dropping their loads into the forest of stone, flames and war. They gave him a scare, but the arrows' noises had faded nearly away and jets of water seemed to lean more lazily than before. _Why should I let them have all the fun?_ He groped for the Charizard's neck, bonding with a fire Pokemon so duressed was difficult, but what choice did he have? He felt the Pokemon's heat course through his veins until he thought his armor would become a stew pot to boil him alive.

The Charizard roared again and soared low over a fresh crowd of Fontaine soldiers. Man and Pokemon scattered as another hellish breath swept the wall. All accept one. Clad in the cerulean plate and a seafoam cloak he stood bold, peering up at Hanbei with just one eye, the other a black leather patch.

Hanbei accepted the challenge and urged his mount forward. _Wait_, he thought. _Where is his Pokemon?_ He caught sight as he flew by. An Empoleon hoisted itself over the stone crenels to flank him. He reigned back on the Charizard to turn back around but it was too late. A sound like a raging sea came with a forceful fist of water, a river all its own to his back.

A flying jumbled missile of Ampharos, Charizard, and Hanbei careened over the one-eyed warrior. When his mount hit the ground he would have spilled his brains all over the wall if not for his helm. Hanbei's body quivered as he pushed himself from the ground. Helm flayed away from his cheek, his left leg bent queer in his armor.

His new Charizard rose to fight the Empoleon, a tall, flightless, avian Pokemon, naturally armored in black steel and bladed blue plumage. "Go Charizard!" he yelled from his spot on the ground. It needed small encouragement. After being shot down, they had traveled a fair length away from the warrior, but the Charizard darted back to the Empoleon just as quickly.

"Boldac!" the man shouted to brace his Pokemon. Elise had not trained her Charizard well enough. It collided with the Empoleon, then something went horribly wrong. Charizard took several lashes from the Pokemon's blades and several smaller water spears. It wrapped its claws around the Empoleon's neck and rammed it's head into its iron face, but the effort seemed to do little more than irritate the other Pokemon.

A stream as hard as the first, if not more sent the bloodied carcass of the Charizard rolling to Hanbei's side. He would've tried to revive it, but he saw the Pokemon's tail was completely extinguished.

Voices and the clangor of blades rose around him as his fellow Ignis warriors landed within the hunkered walls. The mysterious soldier and his pokemon stalked toward him. "The fort may fall, but you will not live to see it," he growled, his long, gray hair clinging to his forehead.

"I yield!" Hanbei shouted.

"What?" the warrior barked. "You should have yielded before your Pokemon died defending you. It is much too late for that."

A lightning bolt dropped from the sky, striking into the stone with an ear-splitting crackle. The warrior and his Pokemon gave a frightened yelp. _What in Arceus?_ Hanbei thought. Yuuwa's hoof came down next to his face. "Where have you been?" he asked, struggling to his feet. "Get him Yuuwaku!" Hanbei commanded.

"I don't think so!" The warrior called as his Pokemon leapt from where another lightning bolt crashed. Hanbei got frantic, he groped for the sword around his waist. Then a familiar roar came from the stars. Three more of the Charizard tamers had spotted him.

"Damn," the warrior spat. "You will pay for this, boy! Boldac!" he called before the two made a hustled dash for the edge of the wall and leapt off. Hanbei gave lopsided chase to the edge of the wall, but the man was gone by the time he could peer over the drop of the wall. _A short enough fall_, he thought to himself. The thrumming of the Charizards' wings filled his ears.

"Are you injured my lord?" It was Stella, more beautiful than her sister Elise, but hidden under the same armor. He could only guess if she'd recognized the dead Pokemon yet. Seeing her made him remember the meaty arrow tip and made him queasy.

"I am sorry!" he shouted to her.

She looked from one of her companions to the other. "Beg pardon my lord? I asked if you were injured my lord!" she said, raising her voice. _She does not realize yet_, he thought.

"I am fine," he yelled back. "You saw that warrior, yes? Pursuit him, he is dangerous and we'd do well not to let him escape!"  
The two that were not Stella flew off in the direction Hanbei pointed. "What is the status?" he shouted.

"We've taken most of the fort. We are breaking through to the Northern side now, but they have planted a Gyarados in front of the tower, it remains untaken. The risk is too great," she explained.

Hanbei turned toward the tower, rising above a sea of orange haze as the whole fort burned in patchwork flames. "Take me there!" he shouted. "My armor is broken, I can hardly walk," he shouted.

Her Charizard's feet bludgeoned the stone floor as it landed. She dismounted and helped him strip down to his chainmail suit. It was then her Pokemon sniffed about the carcass of what Hanbei supposed could be its kin as well. This did not sit well with Stella. She had finally made sense of it.

"My lord," she looked sullen. "My sister."

He stayed quiet as her eyes went red. "Please, Stella. She died an honorable warrior's death." Heavy metal boots clacked from the far end of the wall. Six of the water soldiers were sprinting toward him, Pokemon in stride as well. A blue-furred ape, Simipour, two younger Empoleon Prinplups and three Bibarels. "We can't stay here!" he said. "Yuuwaki!"

Another lightning bolt tore two of the warriors and their Bibarels asunder, but the rest were approaching too fast to strike proficiently. He grabbed her arm and wrenched her away, their Pokemon in tow.

Stella gathered her senses and led him down a stair to the dark interior of the fort wall. A warrior met them at the bottom, but she pounced with sword in hand to open his throat, while her Charizard took care of the Prinplup. This was bad. Inside, Yuuwa's lightning bolts were useless. The footsteps began to descend the stair.

"C'mon!" Hanbei shouted. They darted through the halls, lit by the red light of Yuuwa's tail. The place was a maze, as was the last Lockfort they'd stormed. They swung around to a dead-end that narrowed to a small cell, footsteps still sounding close behind. "Damn! Where now?" He yelled aloud, as if the soldiers needed help finding them.

Stella was rolling a brass vase toward the hall they'd come from. She spilled a sticky liquid the color of purple blood across the floor. "Torch oil?" he asked as the Cerulean armored mob rounded the corner.

"For Elise!" she hollered. Her Charizard spat an ember and the hall lit with a blinding flash. Stella was thrown back into him. The heat more intense than courting Elise's Charizard, Hanbei thanked Arceus for shedding his armor. The soldier's screams boiled in the rushing flames as they ate the liquid and flesh alike.

Stella lay limply over him. It took a few moments to catch his wind back as he tasted foul swaths of lamp oil and burned flesh. He shook Stella, "Get up!" he said. "You're brilliant, you've done it! Oh I could kiss-" As he spun her around he saw the blackened skin stuck to her metal helm.

"Fuck!" he groaned, throwing the corpse aside. Her Charizard sniffed at her. Dare he defile her bond as well? No, he dare not. Hanbei left her and the grieving Pokemon, the small flames still suckling on the bodies brushed him as he passed. The noise outside grew quieter as his forces were winning or dwindling he did not know. He caught no sight of warrior of Pokemon as he reasoned his way through the dark, cloaked in Yuuwa's red light.

He let who he presumed to be this fort's commander scamper off into the night. Could he have been Motochika, The Waterfall himself? Hanbei had heard the usurper was a young man, but smallfolk rumors always in plenty. That man could still be here, following him. He felt for his sword again, but cupped the leather pouch instead, feeling the weight of the Lampent charm.

As he crossed a dark hall, his heart kicked. He thought he'd heard laughter. From one side. Which side? The other. But he could not see what lay beyond the veil of the red light. _Please let it be the Dusknoir,_ he thought, wondering again if this were in a nightmare. A skittering sound, like teeth rolling across the floor made him whip around, but Yuuwa stared blankly at him, unwavering. "Did you hear that?" he asked. This could not be a nightmare, he had never been given a way to defend himself before, and now he had Yuuwa.

He did not see anyone for a time. Long enough to remember how exhausted he was. Even his chainmail suit felt as if heavy metal hands were wrenching down on his body. Again, reaching for his sword, his fingers naturally found the charm.

Finally he felt the cool breath of night air. He entered a hallway split several times by the light of windows. _To hell with finding the exit_, a voice growled in his mind. He leaned out the window, somehow he'd descended to ground level. He slung himself onto the grass of the center courtyard.

His eyes fell on the base of the tower, surrounded by his own men and their Pokemon. A long Gyarados batted an Emboar away with it's broad tale. It bore sword-size fangs to back away the other warriors and Pokemon, but there was little it could do to pursuit them. Gyarados flew in the water, but on land they were sluggish. Hanbei stalked toward the commotion, surveying the high walls and their blasted dark windows. It appeared the fort had been taken, save this Gyarados and its fool warrior probably stowing away in the tower doing Arceus knows what.  
There were just seven men, all clad in copper Ignis armor. One man turned round and hustled out to meet him. "My lord!" Hidenaga called, blood covering his sword arm shimmered in the light of the fires.

It took Hanbei a moment to find his voice. The young squire's eyes widened. "You are wounded!"

The blood on his face, he felt it there now, fingering its way down from his forehead and over his exposed cheek. Hanbei yanked his helm away, threw it to the ground then kicked it across the field. "Are these men all we have left?" he asked.

"No," Hidenaga tried to approach him, but he waved him off. He didn't want help, didn't need it. _Damn it_! He cleared his throat. "We have ten wounded and two were left to tend them."

Nineteen of thirty warriors was not so bad a score. "Make way!" he shouted, surprising himself with his own authority.

The men did as they were bid, calling their Pokemon to their sides. The Gyarados growled at him with blood in its eyes. It coiled its long blue body in front of the tower entrance and held its massive head over some of the walls. Its jowls could swallow a man whole. A big one. Hanbei thought. "Yuuwaki!" he pointed, looking at his yellow and black charred Ampharos. It gave an awkward thrust of its long neck. The Gyarados roared in pain, crumbling beneath the weight of the crashing thunderbolt. Just one hit and it lay limp, probably only fainted, tough bastard creatures they were.

The other Ignis warriors gazed at him dumbstruck. Many of them had no exposure to electric Pokemon and a Gyarados felled with a single blow was simply too much to fathom. "I know, shocking isn't it?" Hanbei said as he marched through the ranks. "Don't just stand there paralyzed, remove it," Hanbei ordered. An Emboar and a Darumaka, a round, red ape Pokemon known for breaking stone walls, pushed the Gyarados aside.

Hanbei stopped at the entrance of the tower. "Go, tend to the wounded."

"My lord, I cannot let you enter the tower alone," Hidenaga stepped up. Brave boy. "Quiet! I command you to tend to the wounded. I will flush the rest from the tower." About the time he ascended the second floor of the dark tower, he gave thought to an ambush waiting for him at the top. Still he climbed the spiraling stairs under the red light. He could hear no noise until he reached the wooden door at the top.

Hanbei recognized the sound of rolling parchment all too well. _He is sending a Starly!_ he panicked. Hanbei thrust his foot into the door, sending it shuddering inward on its aged hinges, along with a pointed pain up his thigh. The Starly he'd expected fluttered out the window in firght, leaving the message behind. He limped into the room, trying not to look weak, but there was no ambush. Only an old man clad in Cerulean armor hunched over a table, eyeing him like a cornered Mincino under his long, ragged hair.

"How did you pass Tempest?" he wailed.

Hanbei limped over to him and ripped the paper from his hands, skimming it. "Valiant effort, but this will never reach the usurper," he said. The man had even been clever enough to recognize them as Ignis soldiers.

"Bastard boy!" the old man growled, leaping at him. Hanbei was in no mood for such play. He sidestepped and the man nearly fell over himself. They eyed each other for a long time.

Hanbei folded the parchment and held it over the candle flames that lit the wooden table. The man edged forward, but Yuuwa stepped between them. "You will have your Pokemon end me then? I'll not be taken prisoner," he threatened, voice quivering as he eyed the Ampharos.

Hanbei nodded at the suggestion, "Yuuwa?" he commanded, as if asking if he would please. His Pokemon batted the old man to his backside with his tail.

"Yes, that's right," the old man said, utterly filled with fear. "You are so much a coward you must end an old man's life with your pokemon."  
As tired and agitated as he was, Hanbei cared very little to hear this. Anger rose up from deep inside him. "I-I am no coward!" he barked. "You look so afraid. One who is a glutton for life at your age and you're still scared to die!"

"I am no fool. I have lived. You live simply for the service of others. Good or evil, it doesn't matter, you have no purpose of your own but to fall for someone else."

_That is funny, because from my position Hideyoshi will fall for my deeds. Doesn't that make me the manipulator?_ A shadow twitched in the corner of the room. Hanbe's eyes drew up on something horrible that nearly took all the wits from him. The frozen Dusknoir stood in the corner of this room. It had followed him. It moved, he saw it.

"You!" he yelled at it. "You moved! You are real! You've been haunting my dreams. It all makes sense now." Hanbei felt a laugh pull itself from his chest. The old man looked at him with that same initial look of being caught with the parchment. "Stop looking at me!" He hollered. "What do you want! Leave me be! It can't be done! He's all the way in Greenleaf and his mother is marching here to Fontaine! They are as far apart as could possibly be!" Still it stood there unflinching. Hanbei stomped over to it, feeling his heart shaking with nervousness. "Did you hear me! Maybe you'll hear him then!" Hanbei said, pointing at Yuuwaki. He turned to see the Ampharos' head cocked slightly to the side with a look of plain confusion.

"Why! By Arceus, leave me be you demon of the afterlife!" Hanbei clutched two handfuls of his black, sweat-ridden hair, tearing one clump away. He went for his sword, if Yuuwa wouldn't do anything about it, he would. When he felt metal he pulled it up to the Dusknoir's face. He leapt back when he found the Lampent charm in his hand in place of the sword. After a moment he started to laugh until he was out of breath, then continued to laugh until his chuckles were clicks in his throat. He turned to the old man. "I understand now. It's this! This thing! That's why he's here," he said, feeling some drool pour over his lip.

"You! You're fucking mad!" the old man cried out. His wails were so horrible. Horrible enough to haunt his dreams, his waking life and if it continued he would never sleep again. Then where would he be? "Mad!" he wailed again, his voice so terrible a noise, like a babe screaming.

"Shut up!" Hanbei roared, feeling his voice crack into something less than human. "Lay down!" Hanbei stomped back over to where the old man lay crumpled on the floor. "Lay flat I say!" he forced his foot to his throat.

Hanbei knelt by his head as the man whimpered. _I don't care how long you've lived, you have never been so afraid, and still not as afraid as I that this is all a dream_, he thought as he kissed the old man's forehead. He put the purple charm down, veiling the old man's eyes with its little arms. He whimpered and sniveled and wailed, his voice would surely haunt him. Hanbei stood up and turned back to the Dusknoir, still unmoving but staring. "That's right, you sit there! I'm going to end this! I-am-going-to-end-this!"

This time he found the sword. A beautiful double-edged bastard sword with a golden hilt, encrusted with rubies from the Ignis mines. He looked back down at the old man, paralyzed with fear with the charm across his face. Hanbei had never taken a life with his own hands, had never even had a real battle before this one. Still his hands came up over his head. He cut downward, splitting the charm and the old man's head just above the brow-line.

Before he could look at the remains a wailing far worse than that of the old man's filled the room. The Dusknoir was moving now, clutching at its throat with one hand and reaching toward him with the other. It shot across the room and nearly wrapped its fingers around Hanbei's neck but stopped just short. From the shoulders, the ghost Pokemon melted away into oily bubbles which dissolved into thin air. The wailing grew so loud that Hanbei's hands flew to his ears while his knees buckled.

It was not until the dusknoir completely dissipated that the noise stopped. Silence befell him slowly, like a welcomed warm blanket. He did not know what Yuuwa made of this, nor did he care. His head swam, drunken from his own exhaustion. He knew all too well what came next and welcomed the nirvana of sleep as he fell to the stone floor. _I am cured._


	13. Notes from the author

Hey all,

I am writing to announce a sabbatical until December 6. I apologize to my followers and favs, but I am not producing quality work right now. I will be using this time to not only get the story back on track, but also produce ahead of schedule to bring you a more consistent publishing routine. Thank you for your patience.

-The Hack


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